Sand in the Leaves
by Ahmenet
Summary: Gaara has lost his possition, his village and everything he's built his life around.  With only one piece of his former life to cling to how will he survive?  Warning:  People will die. I can't add all the Genres I need for this.  FriendshipComfort too.
1. Far Away

**I do not own Naruto in any way. This story is dark. If you don't want people dead don't read.**

"_Temari!! Temari!!!" He called as he ran the silent sand covered streets._

"_Gaara? I can't breath, Gaara. Help me!"_

"_Temari!" Everything was blurry around the edges and getting harder to make out as he drew closer to his sisters voice._

"_Gaara! Kankuro can't see. He says his hands hurt. I'm scared! Gaara, help!"_

"_Where are you? Temari!" He turned a sharp corner and ran into the open square._

_The wind whipped sand around the gathered villagers. The bodies turned toward the center of the circle were blank of features. He moved among them, pushing at men, women and children while making his way. Moving faster and faster though seeming to make no progress. The edges of his vision blurred more and more, making it harder and harder to maneuver. _

"_GAARA!!!"_

_A brake in the crowd showed a large wooden stake with two boards strapped four feet apart. There was a figure, not unlike Kankuros puppet, hanging limply from the horizontal boards._

"_Gaara, PLEASE!!"_

_More breaks in the crowd showed another figure tied to a single stake, eyes covered in black cloth and bound at the wrist. As he watched the figure slumped and dropped hard to the ground. As he drew closer he realized its hands were painted red._

"_I can't breath!!"_

"_Temari!!! TEMA…"_

_He broke through the last of the crowd. His vision blurred. His body heavy and blood flowing sluggishly through his pounding heart. He stared for a long moment not realizing his face was wet with tears and his voice was lost to the choking lump in the base of his throat._

"_Help me…"_

_A young woman with yellow pigtails sat back on her knees. Her arms were bound behind her ramrod straight back. A man holding a bloody sword in his right hand stood over her. In his left hand gripped the pigtails and lifted her disembodied head._

"_Gaara, I can't breathe. Help me."_

_Tears trailed down her cheeks and mingled with the blood pooling on the ground below._

"_Help Kankuro. His hands hurt so much."_

_He stood staring at his sisters severed head as he brother whimpered from the single stake, hands crushed and bloodied. His sensei's body hung gutted and lifeless from the crucifixion stake. _

"_I'm sorry."_

_He tried moving his arms. They wouldn't obey him. The sand wouldn't come to him. His screams sounded loud in his own head but nothing came from his lips._

"_Temari, I'm sorry."_

"_GAARA!! DON'T LEAVE US!!"_

_His vision blurred into a single pinpoint on his sisters slowly paling face, then everything unfocused and was gone._

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Tsunade looked on as Sakura treated the worst of the wounds to the now former Kazekage of Suna. Word of trouble in the land of wind had spread to the leaf and a scout mission had been sent. They'd returned with grim news and a heavily drugged and beaten Gaara Sabaku.

"He's stable now and as healed as he's going to get for a while. I can't be sure when he'll wake. The drugs were heavy, I assume, to ensure he couldn't make hand seals much less call sand. If he weren't uncommonly strong to begin with I doubt he would have survived the dosages they gave him." Sakura reported as she made notes on a small chart.

Tsunade nodded and watched on as the young red head twitched in his forced sleep. Whatever he was dreaming it wasn't pleasant.

"Sensei?"

The Hokage looked to her student. Sakura had grown a lot in the last few years. She'd be teaching on her own soon enough. Her skill had long since surpassed that of her master. Not that Tsunade was admitting it. Even so she was reluctant to answer too many question regarding their current charge. A large amount of it was now deemed classified. Until Gaara woke…

"I promise I'll answer all of your questions as soon as he wakes, Sakura. Until then, please refrain from questioning the guard or the patient. I want to know the moment he's conscious."

Sakura frowned and her fists clenched, snapping the pencil it two, but she nodded and bowed. "Yes, sensei."

Tsunade nodded and stepped out of the room, closing the door softly behind her. If only the pain would stay behind that door as well.

"Excuse me, Lady Tsunade." Kakashi Hatake stopped a few feet in front of her, his one visible eye intense.

"He's not awake." When the man said nothing she motioned him to follow, shutting them into one of the empty examination rooms.

"What have you found out?" She asked though she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"His name is Kanaye Sasaki. He is a missing nin from the Land of River. We haven't been able to find out much else about him or his group. Apparently they walked right in and took over the place."

Tsunade shook her head with a frown. "Gaara isn't the type to allow that to happen. They had to have an in somewhere. It wouldn't be the first time that village was infiltrated. Though I'd hoped the security was better after that attack three years ago."

Kakashi shrugged but his eye was watching her intensely. She watched him for a moment before blowing out a breath.

"Spill it, Hatake. It's been a long night."

He nodded and pulled out his report. "It seems there have been rumors and speculation flying around the surrounding country side that the Kazekage is less than stable. Some state that he's lost considerable power since the loss of the one-tailed demon and is unable to hold Suna. And another says that he intends to destroy Suna all together in revenge for their… transgression."

"We've heard rumors like this before. It's nothing new, though I thought they would have died down by now." She cut in.

"True. But these rumors don't seem to have been started by simply minded villagers or angry ex-girlfriends." He paused and refolded the report before looking up again. "They came from current council members and guard within Gaaras inner circle."

"So it was an inside job." She pressed her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose.

"Once the people believed, he simply walked in and took over." Kakashi finished.

"Only he didn't just walk in. He drugged and beat the boy then…"

"He's making an example of them. But something else is off. Kankuro wasn't with the others. Nor was Gaaras former student."

"Bargaining chips?" She mused.

"Or insurance."

She nodded and dropped into the seat against the wall.

"So what do we do now?" Kakashi asked.

"Nothing." She replied tiredly. "There's nothing we can do."

"If we harbor him it's quite possible it could start a war." He stated simply.

Tsunade sat and stared at the wall as if all the answers were written there and any moment they would make themselves known to her. A war. More death and destruction. All for a boy who'd once tried to kill them all simply because he was crazy only to lose to a boy that most likely was just as crazy. With a smile she turned to back see the copy nin watching her with a lazy eye.

"What do you think he would do?"

"Well," Kakashis one eye crinkled with his smile, "I'm sure he'd rant for a few moments, then scream out something like, 'Let them come! I'll take them all on! BELIEVE IT!' Or something along those lines."

Tsunade chuckled then stood and took the report Kakashi held out for her.

"Please keep the contents of this report to yourself and inform your team this information is not to become public until further notice. I want to speak with Gaara before we move forward."

The elite shinobi nodded and bowed before making a series of hand seals and disappearing in a puff of smoke. She sat for a long time holding the report in a loose grip. When the door opened and a medic walked in she stood to leave him to his duties. As she walked down the hall toward the exit she smiled with grim determination. She would find out what Kanaye Sasaki was up to and she would make him pay for the deaths of Gaaras sister and former sensei. And then she'd consign him to the deaths of whatever hell would take him.

"Believe it."

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Sakura stood over Gaara and cleaned the largest of the gashes on his head. A few would take some time to heal and would most likely scar. Not that anything could make the man less beautiful, but the reasons for such violence…

"Is there anything else you need, Sakura?"

She looked up at the young medic trainee and shook her head. "No, I can take it from here. You're free to go."

The young man bowed and left the room. The silence stretched as she pressed the new bandage to the wound and wrapped it in place with the bindings.

"T…m…i"

She stopped on the last wrap as she heard the soft sound slip from Gaara still lips.

"Gaara?" She stepped back and looked down at the red head.

"Te…ri…"

Awed, she watched as tears rolled slowly from his eyes to travel the slope of his softly rounded cheek. They merged at his pointed chin and dripped down into the hollow of his throat. She shook herself and reached for a tissue in the box by the sink. She'd never seen him cry. She doubted he even knew what he was doing.

"Te…mari"

Slowly, so as not to disturb him, she moped up the tears puddled on his skin and dried his eyes. The more he mumbled the more made sense and for a moment she thought it might be kinder to wake him, but she heeded Tsunades words and trusted in her judgment. In the end, the young pink haired medic simply stood by the former Kazekages bed and wiped the tears from his face as he repeated over and over again, "Temari, I'm sorry."

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**I know it's short but it's the start. Not sure if this story is going to work so review would be welcome. I haven't re-read this and it's late some I'm tired. I look over it again tomorrow and correct any mistakes I find. Shouldn't be too bad though. Hope you like it. Let me know.**


	2. Changes

**Don't own Naruto or any of the characters within.**

_Monday:_

"He's awake and responding but I'm not sure what he remembers." Shizune explained as she handed over the chart to Tsunade.

"I'll look in on him. Was he awake on Sakuras shift?" She asked as she frowned at the perfectly printed pages.

"No. I was hoping he would since she's a more familiar face but he didn't come out of it until an hour after her shift."

"Alright. I'll do my evaluation and we'll call her in to talk to him if I think he needs it."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade." Shizune bowed and rushed down the hall toward the offices.

Tsunade looked through the window to Gaaras room. The boy was sitting up straight in the bed, his back only lightly resting against the pillows stuff behind it. He was staring at his hands with a single minded intensity that didn't diminish when she opened the door.

"Gaara." He didn't look up from his open palm.

She shut the door behind her and walked toward the bed. Pulling the stool up she sat and looked at him. The hand seemed to be fine but he was staring at it as if it were a deformed growth.

"Are you in pain, Gaara?" Deliberately she used his name. "Is there a problem with your hand?"

He looked at her then, his eye still slightly glassy. No amount of healing could work the poisons and drugs from his system quickly. He had one more day before his body was completely clear. Until then, his eyes would remain a little vague and glassy.

"I thought they were bleeding. I thought my fingers were broken. Then I remembered they weren't mine." He explained in a hoarse seemingly overworked voice.

Tsunade sat quietly mulling over what he'd just said. The thought was incomplete and confusing. She needed him to be more specific.

"You mean the bleeding hands weren't yours?" He nodded and she leaned in a little closer to the bed. "Whose hands were bleeding Gaara?"

He looked back down at his hands and flexed them. "Kankuros." He stated simply in that same croaking voice.

"Gaara. Do you know where you are?" She asked slowly in order to keep his attention.

He looked around the room for a moment then his eyes focused as much as they could on her. They narrowed and he dropped the hand he'd been examining. He raised the other to his right temple. A scar cut across his that half of his forehead near the hair line, still pink and tender.

"I'm in a hospital." His voice grew strained. "In Konoha. You are the Hokage."

"Good. Do you remember my name?"

"Lady Tsunade. The last of the three legendary Sannin." His eyes narrowed more as he moved his touch to the left side of his scalp, there fingering another scar.

She flinched a little at the reminder but moved gamely forward. She needed to know as much about the situation as possible.

"Gaara. Do you know what happened six days ago?"

His eyes dropped to the sheets in his lap and his face grew completely blank.

"Gaara? If you can remember, I need to know."

He didn't look up, only dropped the hand in his hair and stared at the pair as they lay still in his lap. He swallowed several times and took a very deep breath as if reassuring himself that he could.

"I couldn't save them." He said quietly. "I couldn't use the sand. It wouldn't come to me. I couldn't fight. I wasn't strong enough." His voice became harsher and his head dropped another inch. "I wasn't enough."

He closed down in front of her as she reached out to give his arm a gentle squeeze he most likely didn't feel. His vacant stare told her she'd gain no more from conversing with him so she stood and opened the door, calling a guard to stand in the room. As the door closed on its occupants she looked to her left at Kakashi.

"Find Shizune. Tell her to call off Sakura." She looked down at the floor and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Get me Maito Gai."

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Neji stepped into the early morning light and breathed in the crisp air. Winter was just around the corner and everything smelled just a little cleaner as each day turned to the next. He nodded to the branch family members who passed him as he turned to lock the door of his small house then made his way through the Hyuuga compound to the main gate.

A year ago his Uncle had asked him to move into the main house. He'd refused. Not that he didn't appreciate the offer. He'd spent his childhood trying to gain approval from his more austere family but he loved his small house by the pond and no matter what happened he wasn't ready to part with it. There were a lot of memories in it and even sad memories could be good ones.

"Neji?"

He turned at the soft request and smiled down at Hinata.

"Hello, cousin." He moved toward her.

"Are you heading for the tea room?" She asked with a small smile.

She'd lost her stammer a year ago, the same time her team had lost Kiba and Akamaru. His team had suffered a similar blow with the loss of Lee. TenTen had died a year before that. He was thankful Shino was still there. Hinata had lost herself for a while with the loss of so many friends and so much change. The Aburame heir had been a great asset and a true friend.

"Yes. Would you like to join me?" He asked politely

"No, thank you. I'm simply meeting Shino and Ino for miso at the corner stand and thought I might walk with you." She looked to the gate then back to him. "You are going to meet Gai sensei, right?"

He nodded and started for the gate. "And Sakura. We are having a 'team meeting'. And since his home is close to the main street and the tea ceremony takes an hours, he decided we could forgo training today."

She felling into step beside him with a giggle and they passed through the gates into the streets of the village. Carts rolled past them on their way in and out of Konoha. Business as usual for the prosperous shinobi village. A young farm girl on the seat of a cart with her father caught sight of the two and waved shyly as she called hello to Neji. He ignored her. Hinata shook her head as the cart and the disappointed girl drew past.

"You really should take the time to say hello. At least acknowledge their existence. It's rude and gives us ninja a bad name." She lectured though she was still smiling.

"After seven years you'd think they'd take the hint. I'm not interested."

The streets gave way to a small quiet patch of trees. The road well worn but no signs of life other than the occasional cart or deer. They moved in companionable silence, every now and then making note of the colors of the leaves.

"Is it true? About the Kazekage?" She asked quietly. The wind blew softly around them for a moment then settled down.

"You need to call him Gaara. Suna has a new Kazekage." He replied just as softly.

Hinata was quiet for a few moments more, seemingly gathering courage for the next question.

"His brother and sister?"

"Kankuro is missing. Temari is dead." Before she could ask he continued. "I don't know the details. He only woke yesterday. He was in a coma for a week. The medics aren't sure just how much he remembers."

Hinata quickened her pace to get ahead and face him.

"Then how do you know about..."

He cut her off with a look.

"Sakura is his secondary medic. That's all she's told me so it's all I can tell you." He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "But I have found out we are offering him asylum."

Hinata's eyes widened. "We're keeping him?"

"I believe so, yes."

The path came to an end at a cross roads. Neji turned toward the village proper but stopped when Hinata didn't follow.

"Hinata?"

She smiled and twisted her fingers together as Neji narrowed his eyes on her.

"I lied. I'm not meeting Shino and Ino. But I am visiting a friend." She looked back down the other path and Neji followed her gaze, then smiled.

"Naruto?"

"Got it in one." She grinned and gave him a thumbs up. "You are a good shinobi."

He chuckled and shook his head before turning toward his destination.

"Tell the knucklehead hello for me." He called over his shoulder.

"I will." She called back then disappeared down the slope.

He signed and moved once again into the stream of carts and vendors now laced with shinobi and villagers as they conducted the days business. He'd forgotten today was Tuesday. She always visited Naruto on Tuesdays. He wondered what else he had forgotten today. He really hated it when memories made him loose track of time.

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"Gai sensei? Are you feeling well?"

The great green beast of Konoha looked up at one of the members of his team. Sakura was without a doubt an excellent ninja and medic but nothing took the place of his former students and teammates. He'd been thinking about them a lot since yesterday. It was amazing how much life could change in a matter of moments. Neji hadn't taken to Sakura as well as he would have liked. Now they would have a new teammate. One Neji would no doubt like even less. He wondered how many sleepless nights he would spend for the next month, nursing Nejis feelings. Or if this could be just what the young man needed.

"I'm fine, Sakura. Don't trouble yourself."

The screen slid open on the far right and Neji walked, smiling, into the room.

"Well, someone's happy?" Sakura commented dryly. "Glad someones world is rolling on the right axis."

Neji didn't comment as he bowed and took his place at the table. And woman in her late thirties came into the room with a bow and carried a tray to the table by the corner. Gai turned to her with a smile.

"Chiharu, could you leave us for a few minutes. I need to speak with Sakura and Neji in private."

"Of course. I will be waiting in the garden." She bowed once more and with a kind smile stepped from the room, closing the door behind her.

"Is there something wrong?" Neji asked with a small frown.

Sakura frowned as well but didn't comment. No doubt she'd been told of at least part of the Hokages plans. But there was only one part of the plan these two needed to know. But it wasn't exactly the easy part.

"I will assume that you, Neji, know about the former Suna Kazekage, Gaara, being in our village." He began.

"Yes."

"And I will assume that by now you have both heard he was forcibly removed from Suna and is now being harbored by the Leaf."

"Yes, sensei." Both Neji and Sakura replied at once.

"I won't drag this out. I have spoken with the Hokage. As of Friday, Gaara will be assigned as the newest member of our team."

Sakura looked surprised but nodded her understanding. Nejis face shut down. A cool calm came over the Hyuuga but he nodded his understanding as well.

"He is still not in top shape and there seems to be an issue with his use of sand at the moment but he is still a Jounin and will be given respect. Is that clear?"

"Yes." Neji replied coolly.

"Yes, Gai sensei." Sakura repeated.

Silence fell over the group as they all mulled over the impact of the Hokages decision. Suddenly Gai reached over and through an arm over Neji's shoulder. The younger mans eyes widened in mild shock then narrowed as Gai pulled him close to his side and an intimate and crushing embrace.

"Don't worry, Neji! No one will ever replace Lee in our eyes! And Gaara will never be as pretty as you! So there is no competition!"

Sakura burst out laughing and fell backwards off the pillow. Neji punched Gai a few times then folded his arms over his chest in full pout mode. Gai rubbed his now lumpy head but smiled gamely at the two younger shinobi at the table before him. None of them laughed often enough anymore. He sighed.

"And now, for the reason you are here." He straightened himself and leaned back onto her heels. Sakura resumed her seat but both she and Neji looked confused.

"I thought you called us here to tell us Gaara would be our new team member?" Sakura asked.

"We are not just his new team. We are his guard and we are his healers."

Neji looked confused but Sakura looked stricken.

"What am I missing?" Neji asked.

"I asked Lady Tsunade about it but... it was really bad wasn't it?" Sakura said in a soft voice, remembering the days she'd sat next to Gaaras bed and dried tears from his face he had no idea he'd cried.

"I invited you here today instead of training, to discuss with you what will be expected of us, what to expect from our new teammate... and what we know happened in Suna." He looked over both ninja not really wanting to crush what little innocence remained to them but knowing this was necessary. "Once we're done, I think the tea ceremony will give us enough peace to finish our day."

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Shikamaru looked up from his bowl as the mini blond came barreling into the store front. With more energy than should be health for any human being the boy wrestled his way onto the stool next to the shadow-nin with a wide grin.

"Can I have some?" The boy asked.

Shikamaru looked down into his bowl of ramen and smiled.

"Only a little. You don't want to spoil your dinner."

The little blond yipped and transferred himself rather expertly into the elders lap. He lifted the chopsticks, one in each small hand, and began extracting individual pieces of meat and vegetable from the bowl.

"Where's your father?" He asked as the child chewed a particularly large egg.

The boy swallowed and lifted a noodle. "At home. Mommy let me go out as long as I watched Hiro." He looked back around Shikamarus shoulder and pointed.

There sitting on a bench with a wrap on one ankle tethered to the front leg sat a dark haired boy with his hands placed neatly in his lap.

"Why is he tied up?" He asked in mild alarm only to have the boy tsk him and finish up the noodle.

"He was boring and didn't want to play so I told him to sit down and he did and I thought that he might decide to get up and go back home and I might get in trouble if he did that because I'm suppose to be watching him and so I thought if I tied him to the bench I couldn't lose him and then I could play and wouldn't get in trouble."

Shikamaru gave himself a moment for his head to stop spinning, then tossed money on the counter and lifted the small boy in his arms.

"Well, I take it you're done playing."

"I am now!" The boy grinned.

"Well, in that case I'll walk you and your brother home. Then you won't get into trouble for being in the street."

Apparently the boy hadn't considered this and blushed as he nodded his agreement, but as they untied little Hiro and started for home he yanked on Shikamarus vest and frowned.

"Why do you look so sad, Uncle Shika?"

He thought about that. Thought about how you explain death to a four year old. You couldn't really. But Naruto was known for not giving up until his questions were answered to his satisfaction.

"A very good friend of mine passed away a few days ago. She lived in another village and I didn't get to see her much so I'm sad that I never got to tell her goodbye."

The boy considered this.

"Didn't you get to tell her goodbye the last time you saw her?" He asked.

Shikamaru smiled. Trust a child to consider the simple answers others forgot.

"I suppose you're right. But I'm still sad that I won't see her again."

Little Naruto nodded. Then narrowed his eyes and raised his head at the neck.

"Did she have red hair?" He asked almost suspiciously.

Shikamaru frowned.

"No. Her hair was blond. But her brothers hair is red." He bounced the boy to resettle him on his hip.

"Oooooh. Daddy told me that there was this red haired boy and his sister had died and that if I saw him I shouldn't mention it."

"That's very smart of your father. But why would you be seeing him?" He knew Gaara would be staying in the Leaf indefinitely but that didn't mean he'd be making the rounds of the village any time soon.

"Daddy says he'll come to us." The boy smiled then squealed as Hiro pinched his leg. He wiggled lose from Shikamarus arms and chased after the smaller boy toward the gates of his home.

Shikamaru watched them until their mother picked them up and carried them inside with a wave of her hand and a friendly smile. He waved back and turned toward home, pushing the odd comment out of his mind though he wandered why Gaara would come to see Sasuke.

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**If there are typos I'll fix them later. Hope you enjoy. Please read and review. This is a hard story but I feel compelled. I'd like to know what you think.**


	3. Shaky Ground

**I hope everyone is finding this story at least mildly entertaining. I've only had two reviews but the hit count is going up. Maybe someone else could tell me how I'm doing? I do consider requests on occasion if they fit with my story. Anyway, I don't own Naruto.**

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Gaara stood leaning against the target posts close to the road of one of the many training fields. He'd been released from the hospital the day before and set up in temporary lodgings until he could find something more suitable. No matter which way he looked at it, he'd be staying here for a while. The wind blow a chill across the air and ruffled his hair making his thankful for the black long sleeve undershirt and green Jounin vest he'd been given in place of his desert attire.

The desert. He missed it. He missed Kankuro. He missed Temari.

Hanging his head he marshaled his thoughts and looked up and down the road for the fifth time in the last twenty minutes. To the average passerby he looked as though he was contemplating the horizon or simply daydreaming. But the truth was, he was lost. He'd been given orders the night before to meet his team at training ground nine. He'd simply nodded his understanding and gone to bed. What he'd failed to understand come morning was, though he'd left early to make sure he was on time and had proper directions, children were by nature pranksters.

"Oi!" Gaara looked up at the deep call and found three family shinobi heading toward him. "You look lost!"

Gaara recognized the larger man as he strolled forward with his blond companion. The other member of their team lagged lazily behind, but then, Temari had aways said Shikamaru was a lazy bastard.

"You don't." Gaara pointed out and pushed away from the post.

He met them half way the road and took note of their expressions. Shikamaru looked uncharacteristically somber. Ino, the blond, looked sympathetic and shifted her eyes away from his face. Only the largest of the three, Choji, seemed in a comfortable mood.

"You're with Gai sensei, right?" Choji asked with a relaxed lift of one brow.

"Yes." Gaara answered

"Walk with us. We're using the training field next door." Choji smiled sweetly and started down the path, pausing for Gaara to step in next to him.

"So... why were you waiting at the genin grounds?" Shikamaru asked conversationally.

Gaara sighed and stared ahead of him. He should have known better really, but he'd been fear so much by his enemies and apparently by his people that he hadn't thought to consider it.

"I asked a group of genin where ground nine was. I hadn't thought they'd give me the wrong directions." He sighed again and waited for the laughter.

It didn't come. He was almost disappointed.

"Who did you ask?" Shikamaru asked, again in a mild tone.

Gaara thought about it. There had been three and they'd been very young. He'd realized they had to be genin since they wore a forehead protector, they'd looked very fresh from the academy. One even younger.

"There as a small red head with long braided pigtails, a black haired fair skinned boy and a boy who looked no more than eight. I'd thought they were academy students but they were wearing Leaf protectors."

"Yikes!" Ino spoke for the first time.

"You might want to watch your back." Choji said quite seriously.

Gaara frowned and turned to look at the larger armored shinobi. Shikamaru and Ino had moved up beside him so they took up the entire roads width.

"Why would I need to watch my back against allies? And children at that?" Gaara asked genuinely confused.

"That's Anko's bunch." Shikamaru explained. "They have a bad prank rep."

"Prank rep?" Gaara asked a little wary.

"When a new ninja or even just a long visiting one come to town all the genin groups tend to prank them." Choji smacked Gaaras shoulder, rocking the smaller man. "Looks like you're the new victim."

"And you're got Ankos team to boot. You're in for one hell of a ride." Ino said quietly as she faced forward.

"Yeah, those kids put a beauty snake in Tenzos sleeping bag on a mission he took with them to Snow Country two weeks ago. Honestly didn't know there anything that could scare that man but apparently snakes that look poisonous do." Choji chuckled.

Gaara looked horrified.

"Be lucky they only gave you bad directions." The larger man continued.

Gaara swallowed quietly several times before taking a deep a cleansing breath.

"How long does this usually last or do I need to avoid them?"

"You can't avoid them." Choji answered. "And the how long depends on their mood and if they take it too far... in Ankos eyes."

"That doesn't sound very reassuring." Gaara mumbled.

"It's not meant to be."

The group came to a halt and Choji pounded Gaara on the back a couple of times, nearly falling over once again.

"There's your group. I'm sure, if you ask, Sakura will be glad to give you the tour after training." Choji placed a more gentle hand on his shoulder and Gaara turned to look at it. "Take it easy."

Gaara simply watched as the rather affectionate shinobi gave him a kind smile and turned to follow his teammates toward a training ground just on the other side of the path. The wealth of concern hidden behind that smile had not been lost on him but he couldn't seem to hold it against the man. After all, he was the first person, other than the genin terrors, to simply look at him and not pity him.

"OI!! GAARA!!"

He turned to see three people standing at the foot of the hill. One with violently pink hair. He started down the slope, toward Sakura and his new teammates, wondering how long this calm he'd somehow found was going to last.

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"You have your assignments. Daily reports will be coded and routed directly to this office. No one. I repeat, NO ONE is to know of your existence. Use whatever means necessary to accomplish this task."

Tsunade looked over the group of masked ninja standing before her desk and wondered if she could forget the faces behind each mask and make this job a lot easier on herself. As her eyes passed over a familiar shock of hair, she knew she couldn't. As Hokage it was her job to delegate tasks and remember the faces of those that didn't return from them.

"You leave in one week. Good Luck. You are dismissed."

The group bowed as a whole and moved from the room in a staggered line. As the last ANBU left Tsunade looked down at the mission directive and sighed. She'd known it would be sent, she'd even known who would seen it, but she hadn't expected it this soon. It couldn't be help but still...

"Lady Tsunade?" Shizune poked her head around the door before sliding in and closing it.

"Yes, what is it?"

"The elders have requested..."

Tsunade growled and stood from her chair so fast it fell to the floor.

"NO! Tell them they can shove it to the tenth level of hell! I am NOT signing that form!"

Shizune nodded, eyes wide and slowly back to and out of the door. The moment it closed there was a resounding crash as half the rooms contents bombarded the walls.

"They ask her to sign the disillusion form again?" Asked a stunned Iruka.

"Yeah. She refused." Another barrage of projectiles hit the wall in front of them.

"That's a pretty adamant refusal."

"She just wants to give him time. He's been here less than two weeks. We don't know the conditions in Suna as of yet. The borders are closed and trying to scout is pretty much a declaration of war but there still might be hope."

The two looked at one another for a long moment before looking back at the wall.

"How long do you think she can keep this up?" Iruka asked, looking at the forms in her hand.

"Another two weeks, then she'll have to concede. I don't think I want to be here when she tells him."

Iruka nodded. "You and over man in the building."

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Gaara hurt. Everywhere. Without the sand he'd been forced to rely on his taijutsu skills and a lot of dodging. Needless to say, he was rusty. Sakura had gone easy on him, though he was pretty sure it had less to do with his physical condition than she'd like for him to think. Gai, for his part, had given him a good run, measuring his weaknesses and strengths no doubt. Exactly what a teacher and team leader is expected to do. It was Neji who was responsible for his current physical distress.

Gaara had introduced himself to his new team though they all knew him. It was, after all, the polite thing to do. Gai had been gracious if exuberant. Sakura had been polite and accommodating. Neji had blinked cool clear eyes at him then turned his head to watch the tree line. As Gai explained the dynamics of the team and his eagerness to bring everyone together as a well functioning unit, Gaara noted the tension in the everyone around him. He remembered the original team. He was there the day Lee had died. He'd never forget the look on Gais face the moment it happened. Sakura had replaced TenTen, but she was a leaf shinobi. He noted the transition was going to be difficult for all of them.

Then they began sparing.

By the time he came to Neji he was beginning to flag just a little. Gai had indeed gone easy on him, but he had by no means given him a break. Gais paces were three times the speed of Sakura and he'd been hard pressed to keep up. That being said, he'd not been able to observe Neji and Sakuras sparing. Mores the pity. If Gai was fast Neji was stealthy. The continued cut and jabs he'd endured left him bruised in places he didn't even know could be reached with the human hand. And the gentle fist the Hyuuga boasted only furthered his frustration since the man didn't even have to connect to hit him. But it was the look of leashed anger in Nejis too clear gaze that made Gaara back away more times than he normally would and expend far more energy on dodging his partner than he should have. The man had looked more than ready to kill him. Now he wasn't so sure why he hadn't let him.

Gaara took the stairs slowly as he moved to the second floor of apartments. This was his temporary lodgings until he could find something more... permanent.

"I want to go home."

He reached his door and slipped in the key. The lock tumbled and he reached to open it, only to have a hand brush his aside.

"Everyone does at one time or another."

Gaara turned to see a young to see a young dark haired boy with a round face and wide smile standing behind him. The smile looked very familiar and he gave a small smile back without thinking,

"I'm Konohamaru. I doubt you'll remember me, I'm the Thirds grandson."

Gaara nodded though he didn't recall meeting the boy before. He didn't look much younger than himself. It was possible he'd seen him around but it was hard to remember every face.

"Don't worry about it."

The boy grabbed him around the waste and pushed the door open. Gaara stiffened at the unfamiliar touch. No one but his family touched him like that.

"My team and I watched you spar today. Thought I might bring over some linement and give you a few pointers on how to deal with your new teammates."

Gaara eyed him for a moment, completely confused.

"Why are you doing this?"

Konohamaru walked them through the door and turned to push it shut behind them.

"Because a friend asked me to." He grinned even wider. "And besides, I think one of my teammates has a crush on you."

Gaara groaned and praised the powers that be that the day was over. Though, if his aching muscles were any indication, tomorrow promised to be a lot worse.

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**Alright. Another chapter under my belt. Not as good as I was hoping for but it at least set up a few things. I think. AGES!!**

**Regular cast, including Gaara and Sakura- 19**

**Neji- 20**

**Konohamaru and team- 15**

**More as they come to me.**

**Thanks to Itachi2011, LadyJadeBlaze, and kaotic312 for your reviews. But I always like more. So gimme!**


	4. Some Like It Hot

**Don't own Naruto. Or any of the characters.**

It had been raining for four days. Four days! And he'd trained for three of those four days. Three days of sliding in mud, swimming in puddles and generally getting dirt in every crease and crevice he had. Even his teeth had been muddy when he'd been carried off the field yesterday. Today, however he was indoors, staring out of the tiny apartment window with his leg wrapped and propped on a pillow. They'd let him leave the hospital since it was only a sprain and Sakura had healed the worst of the injury, but it was decided he should rest up today. Since the rain showed no signs of stopping, he didn't argue.

"Who'd have thought mud would be harder to fight in than sand." He mumbled to himself then turned away from the dreary day and lay back to stare at the bare ceiling.

The apartment was small, which suited him fine. He'd lived in places smaller and much less civilized than this most of his childhood. The walls were a simple white. In the corner a small refrigerator and counter, and a table and chair in the center of the room. Four plates, cups and place settings had been in the cabinets when he'd arrived. It had all be prepared for him before hand. Not only that, but the room felt warm and comforting despite its bare appearance. Almost lived in. Compared with the Kazekages apartments, this place seemed humble, but he'd never cared for that kind of opulence. No, this place was exactly what he needed. Now if only he could have all those other things he needed as well.

"Kankuro..."

A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. He frowned, not expecting visitors and not having paid very close attention to the walkway outside. He looked through the window and found Gai standing in the door. The green suited man looked in his direction and gave him a dazzling thumbs up before opening the door and striding inside.

"I see you're feeling better, Gaara. This is good. We missed you're exuberant performance in training today. Neji just didn't seem into his work." Gai explained everything to him with a smile and a watchful eye.

"I'll just be he wasn't." Gaaras snide comment wasn't lost on Gai and he walked over to the corner to take the tea pot and fill it at the sink.

"Let's have some tea and a talk. I know you've been on edge the past few days. Maybe you just need a good verbal punching bag."

The pot steamed on the pilot lit and Gai dragged in the single chair to the bedside and put his elbows on his knees.

"So you came here for therapy? You might want to ask for hazard pay." Gaaras nose tingled and he rubbed it.

"I wouldn't call it therapy." Gai turned the chair around and straddled the back. "Think of it as male bonding."

Gaara slowly turned his head toward the older shinobi and eyed him warily. "Male Bonding?"

"Yah! Just a little friendly conversation over tea." Gais grin was blinding.

Gaara sighed. No matter how long it had been since Shukaku had been removed he still wasn't used to this kind of affection. Temari was the only person he ever really allowed to hold him. Both she and Kankuro were the only ones to sit and talk with him just for the conversation. He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to that level of intimacy with strangers. Even if they were allies; he'd never really considered any of them friends.

"Gaara?"

He looked up and realized Gai had been talking to him for at least a minute. He sighed again and shook his head.

"I didn't hear a word you just said." He admitted then gave a weary smile.

"Well, why don't you talk and I'll listen? You seem to have a lot one your mind."

The pot whistled and Gai stood to turn off the burner. Gaara watched him pull two cups from the cabinet along with the tea. He moved efficiently around the small area and the red head frowned as he realized the man knew exactly where everything was down to the tea scoop.

"You certainly know your way around this place." He watched as Gais hand stilled for a moment with the Fukusa over the pot lid. Then he returned to pouring water in the cups.

"All of these places are built the same and many shinobi find themselves starting out here or somewhere similar."

Gaara nodded though he didn't believe him and looked back out at the rain soaked streets.

"I don't mind the cold. The desert is cold at night. But I have a real issue with being soaked to the bone and wrinkled as a prune."

Gai chucked and Gaara heard the tea scoop tap on the side of the cup. It tapped again as he fell silent, waiting for Gais reply.

"Trees can't grow without a little rain." Was his only reply.

Gaara snorted. "No wonder the trees are so damn big here." His nose tingled again and this time he sneezed. A moment later a cup was pushed under his nose.

"You'll catch cold sitting by widows without cover." A blanket dropped over his shoulders and he frowned as he stared into the cup of tea, only just realizing he was shivering.

Sipping the tea he fell into silence again. The rain poured down over the roof and fell in streams from the railing less than three feet away.

"Every morning I would walk to the highest point of the tower and stand on the balcony to watch the sun rise. It's windy and cold and your cheeks burn with it but the moment the sun peeks over the horizon everything seems to glow and the cold just blows away on the wind. For just a few minutes the world is on fire."

He looked down at his wrapped ankle and pulled the blanket more securely around his shoulders.

"Out of all the things I've lost, the thought that I may never see the world that way again leaves me hollow."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Gai nod but otherwise the man made no comment. They sat for a while longer in companionable silence. Only Gaaras occasional sneeze intruding. Gai served them another round of tea and pulled out one of the dishes he'd been finding on his doorstep every night for the past two weeks. Gai waited until he'd at least eaten half the serving before taking the plate and cleaning up. Again, moving around as if he'd been doing it for years. And before he realized it the rain had subsided and the day was nearly gone.

Gai lifted his travel cloak from the door hook where he'd left it. "Try and get some rest. A medic will be by in the morning to check your ankle."

Gaara spoke as he opened the door and cool air rushed into the room. "I look forward to resuming our training."

Gai gave him a thumbs up and a ship guiding smile. "The widows Watari and Uboshita are your neighbors on each side." He pointed indicating which was which. "If you need anything they would be more than happy to assist."

With that he stepped and out pulled the door closed. Gaara didn't watch him go but was again struck by the idea that this wasn't the first time Gai had been in this particular apartment. Deciding to give in to curiosity tomorrow and ask the neighbors about it he pulled the blankets up around himself and lay back on the bed. Maybe he was just exhausted enough not to dream.

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"Damn, it's too late." Shikamaru tossed money on the counter and stood, pulling his cloak over his shoulders. The rain had stopped but it was still cold out.

"Too late for what?" Choji asked as he stuffed the last bit of meat from his Hot Pot into his mouth before standing to don his own cloak.

"I was planning to stop by and see Gaara today. Ino said he was sent home with a sprain yesterday. Poor guy can't train worth a damn in the rain it seems."

"He'll get used to it." Choji slid open the door and stepped out into the chilled air.

"I suppose but still..." Shikamaru slid the door closed and pulled on his gloves. "I can't imagine what he's feeling right now."

They stepped into the road and bypassed puddles heading toward the residential areas. Choji pulled a bag of shrimp chips from his coat.

"Then don't try." The rotund shinobi spoke a few moments later.

Shikamaru sighed. "It's not that simple. Temari..."

"Is gone. You can't bring her back. No one comes back no matter how much you might want it. Feeling sorry for him won't make it better."

They continued down the road as the late crowd began to thin and lights came on in small comfortable houses along the road.

"But it's not really him you're feeling sorry for so I guess that wasn't fair." Choji continued to walk until Shikamaru pulled him to a stop.

They looked at one another for a long moment before the shadow-nin hung his head and chuckled mirthlessly.

"I haven't been this angry or felt this helpless since Asuma died."

Choji lay a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently.

"We took care of that problem. We'll take care of this one."

Shikamaru shook his head. "It's not our problem to take care of."

"Sure it is." Choji smiled then turned toward his home leaving Shikamaru to catch up. He called over his shoulder when the man didn't follow. "That's what friends do."

Shikamaru shook his head. "I don't think Gaara has friends."

"He does now!" Choji yelled back then disappeared around the corner.

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"Daddy?"

Sasuke looked up from the pages on his desk to find Naruto standing in the doorway to his office.

"You should be in bed." Sasuke lifted the boy as he walked over and sat him in his lap.

"_You_ aren't in bed." The boy pouted then shuffled a few papers on the desk.

Sasuke smiled and pushed the papers back to their original position before turning his son to face him.

"_I'm_ not a growing boy."

Bright green eyes narrowed on him as he fought to hide his smile behind a stern fatherly expression. Four years and two sons later and he still wasn't used to it. He simply wanted to let the boy sit up with him and destroy his office.

"I'll tell you what..." The blond perked up a little but still looked wary. "If you go to bed now, I'll come tell you a story that only you get to hear."

The boys smile turned mischievous. "You won't tell Hiro?"

Sasuke shook his head a smile smile playing at his lips.

"You won't tell Tadao?"

He shook his head again then grunted as his son slammed him by way of a hug, jumped to the floor using his nether regions as a spring, then bounded out the door screaming at the top of his lungs, "I get a story and you don't!!"

The resounding chorus of, "BUT DAAAAAD!!", could be heard from farther down the hall.

Once Sasuke regained his air and the ability to walk he placed his brush in the water jar and placed the stack of papers in the top drawer of his desk. He lifted his eyes to the picture sitting only inches from his hand. Brushing the dust he pulled it from the draw and placed it on the desk top directly in front of him.

"Seven years. And I wasted so much of it."

His fingers touched each face of team seven as he scrolled through the years he'd spent with them, both before and after his years of wandering. So many memories. So many stories.

"DADDY!!!" A shrill voice screamed from down the hall.

With a nod and a smile and picked up the picture and turned out the light. "Coming Naruto!"

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**Hope this reads well. I had to do it in pieces since I had my own two year old to deal with. Enjoy and as always review.**


	5. Seeing Red

**Here I am again. Don't own Naruto.**

Sakura sat cleaning her stubby nails with a kunai when Nejis snort caught her attention.

"Looks like the princess has decided to rejoin the lowly vassals."

Sakura rolled her eyes and stood as Gai came trooping down the hill followed by Gaara. There was something different about the former Kazekage but she just couldn't seem to put her finger on it. He was wearing a heavier long sleeve shirt than usual but the weather was a bit cool today. He looked as though he'd lost weight yet that wasn't what was niggling at her either.

"Button it, Neji. He's having a hard enough time without you making it worse."

"I thought we were suppose to help toughen him up?"

Sakura simply ignored him. Neji had always been cool with her. She'd understood. He'd not wanted his teammates replaced. As far as he was concerned, there were no replacements for TenTen and Lee. She agreed with him but this was the Hokages decision. You couldn't have a team with only two members. She'd had it bad enough but with Lee still there it hadn't been overly so. But Gaara was in for it. No one replaced Lee and got away with it. Not in Nejis eyes.

"And how are my exuberant and energetic teammates this fine morning!" Gai called in his usual greeting.

"Good morning Gai sensei." Sakura stood and bowed. "Gaara."

"Good morning, Gai." Neji replied from his resting place against a tall tree. He smiled cruelly as he turned his eyes to Gaara. "Good morning, princess. Nice of you to join us today."

Gaara ignored him.

"I thought Shizune told you to stay off the ankle for three days. It's only been two." Sakura cut in.

"I can put full weight on it. It's fine." The red-head replied.

"Just because you can walk on it doesn't mean it's fine. Take it easy." She didn't flinch when he turned to glare at her. His bright hair making the blue-green of his narrowed eyes stand out all the more.

Wait. His hair. THAT'S what was different about him today. Sakura looked at the vibrant red as the sun played on in. Normally it was more of a rust color with hints of red mixed with brown and burgundy. But today it was cherry red. No, redder than that. She'd seen Ino wear shades of red that couldn't compare to this.

"Alright my bright and youthful companions! It's time for training! Youth and vitality run through your veins! Let it burn in your souls as well! Free the strength of your mind and allow your body to grow!"

Sakura smiled with a sigh as they moved toward the center of the field and began warm-ups. She'd ask Gaara about his hair later. It was a nice color on him, though he looked like he needed a hair cut. She'd ask him if he wanted her to do it later otherwise she'd have to find some ties for him before training tomorrow.

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The sea of ninja in the halls of Hokage tower parted as Tsunade walked toward her office, a thin file in hand and a frown on her face. Shizune stood as her long time companion came to a stop in front of her.

"Call Gaara. I need him in my office tomorrow morning. Feel free to explain anything you feel he should know."

She turned and opened the doors, closing them with a bang. Then walked straight to her desk, picked up the heaviest object on it and threw it through the wall. Ibiki, in the hallway outside, ducked then looked through the head sized hole in the wall before dropping his reports in Shizunes hands and smiling.

"Good luck." He called before turning and walking back the way he'd come.

In her office, Tsunade fumed. How dare they do this now! The boy wasn't ready and if he refused to agree to this...

"What the hell am I going to do now?"

A timid knock came at the door and Shizune stepped in without waiting for a reply.

"They wouldn't even listen." Tsunade began. "All they want is to make absolutely sure we have him 'under control'."

Shizunes face crumpled a little and she looked down at the floor.

"The worst part of it is, he'll probably agree. He'll sign that paper saying he's become disenchanted with his country and exile himself from his home just to keep the peace. And then when he gets a chance he'll go missing nin, go back to Suna for a brother who may no longer be alive and get himself killed because he didn't trust us to help."

Silence fell as Tsunade hung her head and attempted to grab the reins of what little control she had. Shizune moved to the desk and picked up the folder. At Tsunades nod she began to read through the small document.

"Is this the final draft?" The younger medic asked as she finished her perusal.

Tsunade looked resigned as she nodded.

"Gaara is a very smart man, isn't he." Shizune stated.

Tsunade looked up and eyed her assistant. "He'd have to be to run a village like Suna at fifteen, even if they were simply trying to control him."

Shizune walked around the Hokages desk and placed the open folder in front of her.

"Have you read this?"

The blond looked down at the neat thin writing with a sneer. "No."

"You should." Shizune smiled and pointed out a paragraph.

Tsunade looked over the words carefully, then read them again. It wasn't until the third time through that she looked up with a small smile.

"I'm sure one of the council members will want to be present when he signs. It wouldn't be wise to point this out." The dark haired woman looked down at the document. "I found three. Do you think he will see them too?"

Tsunade closed the folder and leaned back in her seat. When she gained her assistance attention she smiled slyly.

"As I said earlier, Shizune, I need Gaara in my office tomorrow morning. Feel free to explain anything you feel he should know."

Shizune smiled. "Hai, Lady Tsunade."

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Udon looked up as Team Gai made their way through the dwindling crowd. Neji and Gaara seemed to be lagging behind. Gaara with a limp. Neji with a ripped and bloody tunic.

"Wonder what happened to them?" The bespectacled boy asked of his two teammates who were just finishing their meals.

"Who?" Konohamaru asked then choked on his laughter.

As the group drew near the three chuunin looked closer. Nejis clothes were indeed torn but not bloody. And Gaaras arms through his now shredded shirt were red as well. The two seemed to be mumbling to one another as they passed. Their voices low but not so low that a few people couldn't hear.

"_And you had NO idea they were going to do this?"_ Neji shrilled in a whisper.

"_I don't make it a habit to follow genin around and mark their every move."_ Gaara stated with only a little heat.

"_And how the hell did you miss getting hit again?"_

"_I saw one of them right before you bodily slammed me into the adjacent tree. I would have warned you but I was too busy trying to remember how to breath."_ The heat was growing in the red heads voice and Moegi sighed as she watched the conversation.

"She's got it bad." Udon said behind her back to Konohamaru. The other boy rolled his eyes.

"_And as I told you earlier, I wasn't missed. They got me last night in the bath house. I simply managed to get most of it off before this morning."_

"_Yeah, well you need to share the secret with me because I'm not walking around looking like a stuck pig for the rest of the evening."_ Neji took in a deep breath and seemed to center himself a little.

"_You'll have to speak with my neighbor, Watari-san. She is the one who showed me how to get this stuff off." _

Neji stopped in the middle of the road and went very still. Gaara started to walk by until Gai looked back and caught Nejis eye. There was a moment of silent, strained communication between the two long time teammates, then Neji turned without a word and walked in the opposite direction of the group.

"Neji! Where are you going?" Sakura called out after him as she turned to follow. Gai gripped her shoulder.

The three remaining teammates continued on their way to the stand at the end of the street as Neji disappeared into into the trees that marked the path toward Hyuuga manor.

"Wonder what that was all about?" Udon asked.

The three payed for their meal and started up the street in the same direction as Gais team. When they passed the stand and the three jounin, Moegi sighed once more.

"You know, if you just talk to him..." Konohamaru began then felt the sharp sting as the cherry checked girl slapped her hand hastily over his mouth.

"No."

Udon scratched the back of his head and wisely kept him mouth shut. Moegi removed her hand and looked back in the direction of her crush then came to a dead stop. He was looking right at her.

"You might want to breath Moegi. Otherwise you're going to pass out and won't that be embarrassing?" Konohamaru consoled.

The girl squeaked. She'd been staring for far longer than was proper now and it hadn't gone unnoticed. Sakura was smiling behind her napkin and Gai was averting his eyes as best he could. Gaara simply continued to stare at her.

"That's it." The self proclaimed leader of their team gave the girl a hard push and sent her flying in the direction of the table her eyes were fixed on.

When they reached the table he put a hand on each of her shoulders to steady her.

"Moegi, this is Gaara Sabaku. Gaara this is Moegi, my teammate."

Neither spoke. Sakura huffed.

"Hello, Konohamaru how are you?" Sakura smiled brightly at the boy.

"Hello, Sakura sensei. Just wanted to introduce my teammate since she's being so rude."

"Not at all. It seems our teammate is being just as rude." She gave Gaara a telling look that he completely missed for watching the girl in front of him.

Silence stretched as everyone waited for the two to say something. Gaara stared owlishly as Moegi turned several more shades of red.

"Well, if you're all done here, I think I'm going home." Udon turned to leave and everyone waved a goodbye but the two engrossed ninja.

"So, Konohamaru, what brings you two out?" Gai tried to start up some form of conversation.

"Oh, we were just getting dinner. We'd been out at the training grounds late to watch you guys but when you disappeared into the woods we made Moegi leave so we could eat. She's done nothing but ask to watch you guys practice for the last week." The boy groused. "By the way, why did you disappear?"

"Oh, seems one of the genin teams has marked Gaara and the pranks have begun. Today was Pokeweed dye. Only they missed and hit Neji instead. Now Neji blames Gaara." Sakura explained.

"Huh, doesn't look like it all missed him." The boy stated, noting the color of Gaaras hair was far brighter than usual. In fact, the visible arm was red as well.

"No, they got him yesterday. It was in his soap. Most of him is red under his clothes, at least what I saw when I was healing him. But he says he has something that will take it off." Her expression turned solemn for a moment then she put the smile back on her face.

Just then Moegi lifted a hand slowly in Gaaras direction. The red head smiled at her and took the offered hand.

"Don't you hate it when they talk about you like you aren't even there?" He said.

Moegis ears nearly steamed as she giggled.

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Neji dropped into the bed in his small house and buried his face in the pillow. Thoughts of a time when he'd been very happy ran through his mind and he tried to banish them. They wouldn't go. He hated the now. He hated this future and this fate. He wanted his world back the way it had been. He wanted his team back. He wanted his friends back.

"How am I suppose to accept this? Why do I have to accept this?"

There was no answer from the small photo by his bed. Try as he might he could not get the pictures faces to talk back to him as they once had in life.

"I miss you."

The photos faces merely smiled back at him and with a muffled cry he slapped the picture face down and buried his screams in the pillow until at last he fell asleep.

**I feel this may not be long enough for some but I've been fighting a toddler all night. Which is why I'm also not rereading it carefully. If there are issues let me know and I'll fix them later. By the way, to let me know you have to review. Hehe. Gotcha.**


	6. The Longest Day Part 1

**For those who read the last chapter right after I put it up, I thought it would be wise to inform you that the dye was in his soap not his soup. Had it, in fact, been in his soup he would have been physically ill and spent most of the day puking his guts out. It has now been fixed and I'm sorry for the serious typo.**

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Shizune came to the door just as the sun was breaking over the horizon. She knocked twice but no one came to the door. Turning the knob she found it open and stepped inside.

"Sabaku-sama?" No answer.

Her eyes traveled the small apartment, remembering days when her uncle had lived in a place not unlike this one. Though his place had never been this neat. Roaming around the room she found no clothes on the floor, no stains on the counters or crumbs on the table. Only the bed was unmade and even that had been lightly straightened.

"Accustom to doing things for yourself, are you?"

Reaching out she opened the cooler and peeked inside. A number of food dishes sat on the three shelves along with two or three desert trays. The medics who'd checked Gaara just a few days ago suspected he wasn't eating. From the look of these dishes, they were right. Only two looked as though they'd been opened and even then only small amounts removed.

"Can I help you?"

Shizune bumped her head on the refrigerator door as she came to attention. She rubbed it several times, closing the cooler door and turning to the sound of Gaaras voice.

He stood in the doorway, new morning light streaming in behind him and highlighting his vibrant hair. He was dressed in his long sleeve black shirt again today which told her he was either cold or still had dye on his arms. His face was solemn though and for a moment she wondered if he knew why she was here.

"Sabaku-sama, I…"

"Gaara."

Shizune blinked while he moved into the room and closed the door behind him.

"What?"

"Gaara. My name. You are older and outrank me. Addressing me so formally is not necessary."

Inwardly she wrinkled her nose at the older part but couldn't fault his logic so didn't argue the point. If he wanted to be called by his given name so be it. No one knew if Sabaku was his surname to begin with but he'd never contested it so they simply went with it. Now that she thought about it…

"Is Sabaku your surname or simply a title?" She asked curiously.

Gaara shook his head. "Simply a title. I have no surname. Since I was meant to be a weapon, no house would allow me to be given their name. My birth records list me as Gaara-Jinchuriki. I'd prefer not to go by that particular name."

Shizune smiled a little. So Sabaku was not his surname. Score four in the mini war against the council. Tsunade would be pleased.

"I take it that makes you happy?" Gaara asked mildly.

A little too mildly in fact. If she was judging his mood correctly, it wasn't good. Unfortunately this couldn't be held off any longer.

"Gaara. The Hokage has ordered you to the Tower this morning. I've come early to collect you and to tell you why." She watched him stiffen and fist his hands at his sides. "Before I do, know that we have not given up on Suna. Lady Tsunade is doing everything in her power to gain any information on the situation." When she noted his eyes welling up she swore to herself, wishing she could tell him more and knowing she couldn't.

"Tell me he's not dead." She heard him whisper.

"I don't know th…"

"Just say that to the best of your knowledge my brother isn't dead."

She paused and watched a single tear trail over the rounded edge of his cheek.

"Say it!"

She jumped a little on instinct at the harshness of his tone. There was temper behind that mask. She wasn't so sure it was going to be a good thing.

"To the best of my knowledge, your brother is not dead."

He nodded and absently wiped at the side of his face as he ran a hand through his hair.

"So, what is it you've come to tell me that I'm not going to like?"

Shizune nodded and motioned for him to take a seat as she began to explain what the council wanted and the loopholes she and Tsunade had found.

0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

Neji closed the door to his small house and made his way down the road toward the Hyuuga gates. Branch family waved as he passed but he gave no indication of having heard them. His eye red rimmed from lack of sleep and tears scanned the street outside the gates before turning down the road that lead into the village. In a passing cart a young woman waved to him from next to her father only to draw up short at the sneer he returned. The cart picked up speed and others moved more quickly out of the young mans way. At the cross roads, the right leading to the village, Neji stopped and stared at the tree line in front of him. He was angry. Very, very angry and though it wasn't Gaaras fault, he was the man his anger had clung to. In the back of his mind he knew it wasn't fair, but when had life ever been fair for a shinobi.

Neji scanned the road into Konohas market. The streets were already starting to show signs of life as the sun slowly rose between the trees. He would meet his team in one hour. He would try to ignore this nagging hurt and do his job. He would try and most likely fail. Slowly he turned to the left. He needed advise. And a little comfort.

0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

"We understand this is difficult, but you must see the position of the village. We can not afford war at this time and there is no doubt you will be an excellent addition to our numbers."

Gaara didn't look up from the paper in his hands. He didn't look toward the council member trying and failing to sound sincere in their 'understanding'. There was no one more cowardly than a politician in his eyes. Even one who'd once fought as a shinobi himself.

"And if I refuse?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

Homura Mitokado sighed as he watched the young man standing before him. They understood the boys' position, but he was no longer the leader of Suna. Had, in fact, been forced from his village and left to die. Why the roughs had not simply killed him outright was a mystery to most, but they'd made an example of his sister and one of the more formidable shinobi in the village. What little information was able to be gathered showed a constant drop in the stability of the sand village. Anyone trying to go in now would find themselves well and truly wiped from the face of the earth. Those in charge had started out savagely and would no doubt end the same way. No, they could not afford to harbor the former Kazekage in the hopes of regaining the village. The only reasonable was to offer him a place in this village. Under their terms. This boy was formidable and would strengthen their forces tremendously once he was back on his feet and properly trained. They simply needed a leash on him until he was settled.

"If you refuse," Tsunade answered, "you will be escorted from the village and kept under surveillance until you are outside of The Fire Countries boarders."

Gaara nodded, knowing that once outside the boarders he would not be allowed back inside. They were covering their butts. Making sure no one believed they were simply hiding him. If anyone thought he was simply here to recuperate they might also think they intended to retaliate. Peace was comfortable and far too precious. No one wanted to see the end of it. They would kick him out before starting a war.

"I understand."

Tsunade held her breath but didn't change her expression. Shizune had explained to him the plan. She'd informed him of the small loopholes in the Disillusion Forms. That little bit of wiggle room that would allow them to contest it later. He could go home again if he so desired. The problem lay in his feelings now. As it stood, his brother was being held hostage by a group that had destroyed his family, stripped him of his title and taken over his village. None of the ninja community knew what was going on past the Fire Country boarders into Wind Country. Gaara didn't know what was happening in the only home he'd ever known and sworn to protect. Now they were asking him, if only for a little while, to give it away as if it didn't matter to him at all. To turn his back on his country and his brother and all those he'd sworn to protect. Shizune had asked him to trust in the Hokage, to trust in her. She only prayed his would or this may be the last time she ever saw the boy.

"If you require more time we can allow you…" Homura began.

"That won't be necessary." Gaara walked to the Hokages' desk and pulled the brush from her inkwell. "Would you like this in blood?" He asked with no expression.

Homura sniffed but noted Tsunades expression had not changed. "Hardly."

The brush moved smoothly over the paper and in moments Gaara replaced it and stepped away from the desk. Tsunade lifted the paper and turned it toward the council elder. At his nod she slipped it into a folder and handed it to Shizune. Gaara simply stood facing the desk, staring at a point past Tsunades head.

"You will remain with Team Gai until such time as you advance or I deem placement should be changed. You are registered Jounin but are to be tested before taking any A or greater ranked missions. Arrangements will stay as they are until you have funds to change them or make other arrangements. You will be monitored frequently to access your acclimation into the village. You are restricted to inner boards. Neutral territory is off limits until further notice. Do you understand these terms?" Tsunade waited.

Gaaras eyes shifted to meet hers and she saw a cool emptiness there she hadn't seen since they'd brought him to the hospital a month ago. This was too soon. They all knew it. Guilt bore into her as he nodded his head and turned toward Homura sitting off to the side.

"I understand living in a cage."

Homuras eyes widened and he made to stand but the boy simply turned and walked out of the office with Shizune close behind. There was a moment of silence as boot heels clicked on the floor then Tsunade stood and walked to the door.

"If that is all the business you have with me today, I suggest you leave."

The old man stood slowly and bowed. "You understand the necessity if nothing else, Hokage-sama. Do not overstep your authority in this matter."

Tsunade opened the door and held out her hand toward the exit.

"I assure you, I will not be overstepping my authority in any matter regarding Suna and Gaara. But I dare say, the only person to overstep their authority today has been you." She tipped her head toward the open door and narrowed her eyes. "Leave."

"This is for the good of the village." He replied heatedly.

"I have not done nor will I do anything to endanger this village. Now leave."

0.0.0.0.0.0.0

Sakura looked over the horizon as the sun shown down on the training field and Gai went through his morning warm up. There were a couple of jounin at the road who normally spent their days at the tower when not on a mission. She wondered what they were doing out here. She had to admit, as more people noticed his presence more showed to watch Gaara with the team. Apparently they looked at him as a novelty or a myth. He'd not paid much attention to them.

She heard the calls and looked up to see Neji making his way across the grass toward them. She noted the dark circles under his eyes and his aggressive demeanor. Today was going to be a bad day. He reached her just as the calls started again and a red head began to appear around the opposite corner.

"One hour late and I still get here before he does." Neji growled.

"Neji…"

"Don't speak to me." He snapped and Gai stopped his stretches to eye the white eyed young man as Gaara came slowly across the grass toward the group.

"Good morning, Gaara!" Gai called in his cheerful manor then it was strained this morning.

"Good morning, Gaara." Sakura called as well, but he didn't answer, only stared vacantly as he moved into the center of the field and began his warm ups.

"Good morning, Gaara. I trust you slept well?" Neji moved up next to his teammates and all went through the warm ups in relative silence.

One hour later Sakura sat beneath a stand of tall trees, green glowing hands wrapped around Gaaras slightly swollen ankle.

"Why men can't admit when their hurt is beyond me. You're worse than Kakashi."

He didn't reply. He didn't make a sound as she poked and prodded the puffy skin. Neji and Gai finished their sparing and moved toward them while she finished the wrap on Gaaras ankle.

"Stay off of it for the rest of the day. I won't tell you to stay off of it tomorrow. You won't listen anyway."

Gaara stood and gingerly tested his ankle. He'd barely listened to his surroundings. Which was probably why he'd found himself on his back with a knee to his throat less then five minutes into his sparing session with Neji. And why was he sparing with Neji when the Hyuuga seemed to be out for his blood? He was numb. Every nerve was dulled. His breath heavy in his lungs. Everything sluggish and slow. He didn't want to think or feel. He simply wanted to crawl somewhere small and dark and hide.

"So we are done for the day? Pity. I think your fans were hoping for a show." Neji motioned to the three Jounin standing at the edge of the road. They hadn't moved or changed expressions since he'd arrived.

"I'm not a circus act." Gaara mumbled as he moved away toward his small pack and canteen.

"So sure of that…"

"That's enough, Neji." Gai stepped in and placed a hand on the young mans arm. "Move ahead with Sakura. I think you need a little space."

Neji looked dumbstruck for a moment before his face fell into familiar cold lines.

"Hai… _sensei._"

Gai reached down and offered Gaara an arm. "Best not to put too much weight on it. Give your body a rest."

Gaara looked at the offered arm and considered refusing it, but Gai had been nothing if not kind from the moment he'd joined this team. And though he was odd and far too energetic for someone his age he let his teammates go their own way and deal with their own issues for as long as was possible, only interfering when the problem affected others. Or when things had been pushed too far.

"They told you about the meeting this morning?"

Gai nodded. "I was informed you would have examiners watching you closely for a while."

They moved into the road a few paces back from the others. Gaara ignored his 'keepers' as they watched from their perches. They were going to be a fixture in his life for a while; they might as well know where he stood.

"I won't ask you what happened with the council, nor will I ask why you are being measured this way, but I will give you my full support in whatever it is you wish to do."

Gaara nodded and continued to walk with the support of his team leader. The examiners fell way as they moved into town and the pedestrian traffic became heavier. Up ahead Sakura was pushing Neji into a large open tent with benches and a long bar. Steam rose from the grill behind the bar and Gai steered Gaara in its direction. He didn't bother to protest.

"Gai-sensei! Over here!" Sakura called from the bar, Neji on her other side already giving his order.

"Neji's got the renkon tukune. I'm having Yakitori. What do you want?" Sakura asked as they took their seats.

"Jidori-no Iburi, my friend of the fine culinary arts." Gai charmed the apron clad woman behind the counter.

The girl rolled her eyes and looked expectantly at Gaara. He simply shook his head and asked for water.

0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

Genma leaned back on the bench next to his counterpart and watched the group at the bar. Or at least one member. Tsunade had requested they 'keep an eye on' the young sand shinobi, then informed them he was no longer a sand shinobi. After watching the kid for most of the day he could only guess what had happened. Whatever it was it wasn't good.

"Hyuugas got a stick up his ass today." Yukio grinned around a senbon.

"Yes he does and get that damn thing out of your mouth before you hurt someone."

Shichiro laughed and pulled the weapon from his friends mouth.

"He's right, you know. Last time you nearly shot Shizune in the ass with it. I don't like visiting you in the hospital. And I don't like not getting paid because you're laid up."

Genma rolled his eyes between the two. Thought of joining ANBU had filled his mind lately but with some many out on missions he'd not been able to discuss it with the right people. Everyone was so tense in that division, it was just smarter to stay out of the way. Though he longed for the moment he could get away from these two.

"Hey Genma, what exactly are we watching for?"

Genma peeked over his shoulder at the group then looked back to Yukio.

"Nothing. We just watch. Access. Learn. Report." He stretched and yawned widely. It was still far too early in the day but just watching the tension on the field had drained him.

"Boring." Shichiro groaned.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that." Genma replied as he took his drink from the server.

0.0.0.0.0.0.0

Gai finished his food and moved from the bar to speak with a young woman seated a few tables back. Gaara was too lost in his own thoughts to notice until he felt something soft and silken run over his hand. He glanced from his glass to his hand. Strands of black hair slipped over his white skin and goose bumps raised in response.

"You know, the pout would really work for you. Maybe you should try that in the place of pissed off psyco. Or were you going for tortured soul."

He looked up into Nejis eyes and suppressed the urge to drive his thumbs through them.

"I haven't decided if you're simply pissed at having to work with someone better or if you're just jealous that I'm prettier than you."

Sakura choked on her skewer chicken and grabbed for the glass of water in front of her.

"Wity? I was beginning to think all sand ninja were sewer rats."

Gaara raised a hand for the server. "Uji please. Hot."

"Don't tell me that's all you've got. I thought you had more balls than that."

A tea cup was place in front of him and the server poured hot water over the fine powder in the bottom. He lifted the cup and inhaled the scent of strong tea, trying to clear his mind enough to match wits with the jack ass beside him.

"He's dead you know."

The cup shook in Gaaras hand.

"Whatever you think you can do, it's too late. It's been at least a month. What chance did he have to survive when they killed your sister outright?"

Nejis voice was barely above a whisper but Gaara heard ever word as if it were a gong in his ears.

"It's pathetic, hoping for a chance that's already come and gone." Nejis cool eyes bore into Gaaras temple. "Too bad he had to suffer."

Tea flew in an arch from the cup to Nejis face and all hell broke loose.

0.0.0.0.0.0.0

**Yes, this is a two part chapter. With any luck I'll have the other part up tomorrow. Until then, good night and please review.**


	7. The Longest Day Part 2

**Second half coming up. I don't own Naruto. I'd be rich if I did.**

0.0.0.0.0.0

The commotion started at the door and moved all the way down the hall. Four men in one group three, including Gai, in the other. Sakura was attempting to clear a path when Tsunade and Shizune stomped from the opposite end.

"What the hell is going on?! This is a hospital! Not a bar!" The Hokage screamed while bodily removing Sakura from her forward post.

Genma stepped away from the four man group to face his angry leader.

"Actually, it started in a bar but we moved it here."

"Shit! He's loose!" Yukio yelled.

Suddenly one of the three man group was down.

"Get him off of me!" Neji bellowed from beneath a green and red blur now pounding at his midsection.

Genma broke his explanation to help Gai pull Gaara off of Neji. There were a series of cracks and the Hyuuga howled in pain before three medics came to assist. Together they pulled the smaller man to the opposite wall and turned him to face it. He calmed almost instantly and the medics started to let go.

"Don't let him go!" Genma shouted.

All three men froze and tightened their hold. Genma turned back to the Hokage and her assistant but both women were looking at Neji as they picked him up off the floor.

"What the hell happen?" Shizune whispered and Genma blinked at hearing profanity come out of her mouth.

"Well, I was about to give my report but I think getting these two to separate rooms is probably a priority at the moment."

"I think you're right." Tsunade waved over two nurses." Get these two set up on opposite ends of the hall. I want room to tackle whoever might get away." Both nurses nodded and moved to prepare the rooms. "Genma, you're with me."

The senbon expert nodded and followed. Glancing over his shoulder he watched a nurse press a cold pack to Neji's face and another raise Gaaras arm over his head to stop the blood now pouring between his fingers. Tsunade opened a waiting room door and they both stepped inside as the two beaten men were lead to their rooms.

0.0.0.0.0.0

There was a lot of chatter on the street as Shikamaru, Choji and Ino made their way through the gates and waved their temporary teammate ahead. They'd been on boarder patrol that morning, waiting for a messenger that had come only moments before they were heading back. The scroll was sealed for high level decoding. None of them really wanted to handle it in high tension crowd before them.

"There's a break over that way. I'll follow what's her name and you two can double back and head for the tower." Ino pointed out a small side street completely free of overly animated people.

"Fine, but at least call her by her name." Shikamaru shook his head while Choji pulled a bag of crisps from his pack.

"Fine. Her name... what was her name again?"

Choji swallowed the apple crisp he'd been munching. "Rini."

"Gag! No wonder I can't remember it." And she turned to follow the girls more direct path to the tower.

"She did giggle a lot." Choji murmured.

"It was just one mission." The shadow-nin sighed, praising the fact that he'd most likely never have to work with the bouncy brunette again.

"True. And I'm sure the Hokage only put her on the team to annoy you so as long as you don't call her troublesome or something equally telling we'll never have to work with her again."

Shikamaru groaned, knowing he'd never make it through the report without saying the word at least once and probably in conjunction with that girl.

"Can't do it can you?" Choji quipped, and then stuffed a hand full of crisps in his mouth.

The two turned into the alley and walked in the relative silence. Only a few people milled about on this small side street. Many simply passing through the same at them. Choji crunched loudly and several people turned their heads toward the noise before shrugging or smiling and continuing on their way.

"I know Shizune suggested you add more fruits to your diet but I don't think that was what she had in mind." He pointed to the bag in his friends' hand.

Choji just shrugged, "its fruit." and stuffed a handful in his mouth.

The noise began to rise and light filtered more heavily into their vision. As well as conversation.

Neither shinobi had paid much attention to the gossip at the main gate. The constant chatter of misplaced merchants and visitors made pulling any beneficial town information next to impossible. But here on the market road with it's bars and shops, was a bevy of useful information. And right now the talk was all about THE fight.

"Must have been some fight for everyone to be yammering about it." Chojis brows furrowed as he tried to catch more than just snippets of conversation and still stay out of the throng.

"Yammering? You picked that word up from your dad didn't you?" Shikamaru was rewarded with a jab to the side and a gruff snort.

"_They were bleeding all over the road."_

"_... could have been killed..."_

"_It started at that shop..."_

"_... just knew he was going to be trouble."_

"_She might put him under house arrest."_

"_Should have put him out weeks ago."_

"_... could have sworn I saw the sand lift right up off the ground and..."_

Both Shikamaru and Choji looked to one another with wide eyes before grabbing the nearest genin and dragging an explanation out of him as they went.

0.0.0.0.0.0

"Gai. I understand your principles in allowing your team to settle their own disputes, but I think this was taking it a little too far. Don't you?"

Gai dropped his head as Shizune finished the wrap on Neji's broken ribs. They'd gotten there in time to heal the burns on his face and fix the broken nose but there wasn't much to be done for the double black eyes. The bruises would finish healing in a couple of days but the sprain wrist and elbow would take longer.

"I can only apologize again on behalf of my team! I never thought they would take it this far..."

"What do you mean 'they'? Gaara went nuts and started..." Neji stopped speaking the moment Gai lifted his eyes.

"As I was saying, I never thought the two of them would take things this far. They will both be suitably punished. I swear to you this will NOT happen again!"

Neji groaned, he knew exactly what Gai meant by punishment. He and Gaara were in for a very long week.

"I just don't understand it." Shizune looked up at a red faced, black eyed Neji. "This is totally out of character for both of you."

It was Nejis turn to lower his eyes as he looked past the medic and toward his team leader and friend. It _had_ been out of character. Both what he'd said to provoke Gaara and the fight afterwards. He still couldn't think of why he'd said it. Perhaps he'd wanted to see the man suffer. Gaara was in a constant state of calm. It grated at him to know a man could lose everything in a matter of days and it not mean a thing to him. At least he'd thought it hadn't matter. He'd been proven painfully wrong.

"I will make my apologies to the Hokage personally, Gai-sensei." He raised his eyes only enough to see the nod Gai gave him before lowering them once more.

"Yes. You will."

Shizune passed a hand over the last of the small lacerations, marveling at the amount of dirt in some of the wounds. In fact, there had been particles of rock in Nejis eyes when he'd come in.

"You'll be staying overnight." The Hyuuga stiffened. "I can't let you go while you're pissing blood. You'll simply have to suffer through the processes. One night." She pointed a finger at him and collected her charts before leaving the room.

Left alone with Gai, Neji was at a loss for what to say. Gai, however, was not.

"I don't know what you said and I don't care. You're only job from this next week is to find a way to fix the damage you've done." Neji nodded. "Your week starts in two days. I'll give the specifics of your punishment at that time."

"I beg your forgiveness. I allowed my anger to cloud my judgment."

"And you provoked him."

"I provoked him."

"Have you forgotten what words spoken in anger can do?" Gai stepped away from the wall and stood in front of the younger man.

"No. But it doesn't make me any less angry." Neji looked up defiantly.

"No one asked you to dismiss your anger." Gai sighed and placed a hand on Nejis uninjured arm. "And I should have told you about the apartment. The widows have been asking for another shinobi to move in. I think they were scaring off all the others just to get their way. When Gaara came it seemed the perfect opportunity. They are gracious and don't mind looking after the 'nice young men' of our village."

"You mean the well toned fit young men who tend to leave their windows open when they walk around shirtless in the morning." Neji replied dryly.

"Well, youth is said to be a state of mind as well as body." Gai blushed.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Tsunade stared at Genma. Genma smiled back.

"You know, I think I learned a thing or two. I've not seen fighting like that in years." Genmas smile was cheeky.

Tsunade was not impressed. She stood and paced the small room while Genma sat back waiting.

"So, let me get this straight. The three of you were sitting in a far corner, keeping watch, when suddenly Neji screamed and jerked back. Gaara then reached around and grabbed him by the back of the hair, slammed his head into the bar twice, and threw him back on the ground. After that you lost sight of them."

"Right. The patrons of the establishment were crowding around." Actually, they'd been cheering the two on but she didn't need to know that.

"And none of the three of you could get close enough to the fight? There were no other jounin or even chuunin in the area capable of stop this?"

Okay so maybe she did know. "Well, there really were a lot of…"

"Save it." She stopped and dropped into the chair facing him. For the first time since they came in the room he started to get nervous.

"Where was Gai?" She continued.

"He was off sides of the crowd. About two man back from the disturbance." He sat up a little straighter. "He maneuvered the crowd to push the fight into the street."

Tsunade nodded her bowed head. "And he let them fight until he thought they'd burned themselves out. I'll have to talk to him about letting thing escalate this far." Genma cleared his throat and she looked back to him.

"They weren't burned out. I'm fairly certain at least one of them could have gone until the other was dead. Gai broke up the fight when we heard the break."

Tsunade frowned. "What break?"

"Gaaras arm. The bone was sticking out against his shirt and every time he punched it tore at the sleeve. I don't know how he was doing it or if you can fix the damage." An involuntary shiver ran through him at the memory. "He wasn't screaming or grunting, hell, he didn't let up at all. I think that's why Gai stopped the fight. It's sure as hell why we did."

The Hokage stared at the door for a moment before sighing.

"You realize I'm going to have to punish you three for this?" Genma nodded warily. Tsunade opened her mouth then closed it. "I'll come up with something later."

Tiredly she stood and Genma followed offering a low bow.

"Go home for tonight. I doubt either of them will be leaving tonight. Meet me in my office tomorrow morning at dawn."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

0.0.0.0.0.0

"SAKURA!"

The pink haired kunoichi looked up from the chart in her hand to see Shikamaru and Choji moving swiftly down the hall.

"What are you two doing here? You didn't have trouble on you mission did you?" She looked them over as they came to a halt beside her.

"No. No, we're fine. We heard there was a fight." Shikamaru looked down at the chart in Sakuras hand.

She followed his gaze and lifted it. "Gaaras chart."

Choji didn't know what any of it meant but there was a lot of writing on the one piece of paper. That much writing couldn't be good.

"Well?" Shikamaru prompted, pointing a finger at the chart.

Sakura jumped then smiled sheepishly as she fumbled with the papers.

"Um… let's see…"

"Spit it out." Choji folded his arms over his massive chest.

"Laceration over the right temple. Torn muscles in the right and left shoulders. Compound fracture of the left radius and ulna." She looked up and pointed to her arm. "That's the two bones between your wrist and elbow."

Both men nodded, only Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"Oh, and blood loss. Probably from the compound. There was a lot of blood on the floor earlier. Of course that could have been from the pounding Neji took in the hallway…"

The two men stood stunned as Sakura stared at Gaaras door and simply talked out of her head. It was odd enough that the two men had fought in the streets like common drunks but to fight in the hospital as well?

"Sakura?" The young medic shook herself and looked up at Shikamarus call. "It sounds like he walked over a mound of exploding tags. How's Neji?" Visions of chest wounds ran through his mind; he banished them.

"Hold on."

Sakura took off down the hall. The boys stood confused. At least until two medics came out of Gaaras room and dropped into a bench against the wall.

"Who knew someone so little could be so strong?"

"He's not little. You saw those arms. He's wiry. It's deceptive. I'm just thankful he's almost out of steam."

"I don't know where he found the steam in the first place. It's just not normal."

"Well, they say he was a Jinchuriki, maybe there are some residual affects from that. Or from that old woman's jutsu that basically raised the dead."

"Now I'd love to study that one. Not for personal use."

"I'd hope not. Who the hell wants to die at 20? But the demon thing would be a good study. I wonder what the genetic ramifications are. And I wonder why removing the bijuu kills them. Do you think a normal body could hold up under that kind of stress or are the ones chosen to carry the thing tested before birth? It would be an amazing test study!"

Boot heels clicked on the floor and the medics stopped their conversation as Sakura came to a stop. The two interns seemed confused when she didn't speak to them, only to realize there were two shinobi standing in the hallway. Neither of them had noticed. Eyes wide they watched Choji grin, smiled and finger wave as Shikamaru lean toward Sakura to look at the chart with her.

"You two should pay more attention to your surroundings." The large shinobi pulled his arms up behind his neck.

Both medics flinched. "We meant no disrespect."

"Then learn to speak in private or shut your mouth." Sakura replied from behind her clipboard. "I could hear you all the way down the hall." She lifted cool eyes to them. "And if I could hear you no doubt someone else could."

"We were simply hypothesizing. Nothing more." But neither looked her in the eye.

"You're dismissed until further notice. I'll call in for replacements. You might consider what you're going to tell the Hokage when you next speak with her."

Both men shook as they stood and walked swiftly toward the doors. Shikamaru, who had been pouring over Nejis chart, snorted and looked up.

"Don't you think that was a little harsh? They were just mouthing off to one another."

"Well, since Jiraiya once told me Orochimaru would mouth off about stuff like that then later actually did it…"

"Point taken." Shikamaru handed her the chart. "I don't understand a word of that."

"And here I thought you were smart." Choji chuckled lightly.

"Just because I'm a genius doesn't mean I take the time to learn everything." He put his hands in his pockets and slouched. "Too troublesome."

"That's one."

He glared at his rotund friend then looked back to the green eyed medic.

"I'll sum it up for you. Internal bleeding. Bruised kidneys, sprain left elbow and wrist. Concusion. Second degree facial burns. Four cracked ribs. Twisted knee. Broken nose. Shall I go on?"

The two shinobi stood with their mouths hanging open.

"Oh, and I might add, he did all of them by hand. Though we did have to wash a lot of gravel and rock out of the wounds. Seems Gaara fought dirty. There were pieces of fine rock in Nejis eyes where he'd smeared it in his face."

Both men still stood with their mouths open.

"Guys? Hello?" She waved a hand in their faces.

"Do you think, when he's up to it, Gaara would be willing to teach us how to do that?" Choji asked hopefully.

0.0.0.0.0.0

"I need you to step over here and lie down on the seal."

Gaara lifted his eyes to Shizune and blinked. They'd cut his shirt and vest away and she'd been working for at least half an hour fixing the worst of the injuries he'd sustained. He still wasn't feeling much of anything. His arm ached and looked gruesome with the bones sticking out but otherwise he was simply getting cold. At least he was shivering.

"We have to reset and repair your arm. You can't sit up for this. It's going to take some time."

Gaara shifted his eyes to the seal in the center of the room. He was pretty sure this was a surgical procedure but they hadn't moved him from the room. Of course, considering the way he'd acted in the hall he supposed it was unavoidable.

"You don't have to sleep for this and if you'd like I'll call in someone to explain exactly what I'm doing." She pressed a hand to his shoulder and he flinched. "You have to trust me."

He looked at her long enough to realize he was starting to feel queasy. He swayed on his feet and she shivering started in earnest.

"I think I'm going to be sick." He said quietly.

"You're in shock. Don't panic. Just lie down." She started helping him into the center of the seal. "Step outside and call Sakura in here." She addressed the remaining medic.

"Hai, Shizune-san."

As he lay on his back he heard the door open and the hushed voices of people he recognized but couldn't place. His eyes started to drift closed as Sakuras boot heels clicked closer and the door closed again. The last thing he remembered was a warm hand on his forehead and softly glowing green light.

0.0.0.0.0.0

**No. The days not over yet. Sorry but this really is the longest day. Never thought it would go on this long though. I guess I just love to torture people. Isn't that awful. Thanks to those who've been reviewing. Shukakuchan, Anne Camp aka obi-quiet, kaotic 312, Itachi 2011, and LadyJadeBlaze. Your support is appreciated.**


	8. The Longest Day Part 3

**It was brought to my attention that some of my characters are a little OOC. Since these characters are 19 and 20, I felt that change was nessasary. And since I don't ever know how they will change until I get them to paper… well. Anyway, I did have a thought about the language and decided that some words didn't need to be used. Well, one really. So I changed it and will strive to not use it again.**

**0.0.0.0.0.0**

Naruto placed a finger to his lips and waved Hiro to follow. The two young Uchiha moved swiftly through the halls of the hospital until they found the rooms they were looking for.

"_We received the scroll this afternoon. The first group of refugees will be arriving within the week."_

The boys stopped and Hiro moved to the other side to listen more closely as the Hokage spoke with their father.

"_And the main reason they are there?"_

"_They found him, but he's heavily guarded. They aren't sure how long it's going to take or if he'll even come with them. There is still the possibility he won't leave."_

"_I know. But I have to believe…"_

Becoming disinterested in the conversation, the boys moved on. The halls were quiet this late with few nurses and medics. Knowing the corners and corridors best to hide in made it easy to slip past the staff.

Naruto held up a hand and Hiro stopped behind him. He peeked around a corner then turned and smiled at his younger brother, giving him a big thumbs-up. Hiro smiled shyly back and followed Naruto around the corner.

0.0.0.0.0.0

The first thing Gaara noticed when he swam back to consciousness was that he hurt. Every inch of his body ached from his feet to his head. He lay as perfectly still as possible wondering why he was awake and why he couldn't simply drop back into peacefully numb oblivion.

Then he felt the small hand on his cheek.

"Why is he wearing make-up?" A young voice asked from his left.

"It's not make-up, dumby." Another young voice said from his right.

He cracked his eyes open a slit to see a small dark haired boy and a slightly larger blond. They were inspecting him with wide eyes. Most specifically his bandaged arm and various bruises though the smaller continued to glance back up at his face.

"Then why are his eyes all black?"

His small pale hand lifted and Gaara felt his hair shift from his forehead. Tiny little fingers tickled over his skin and he fought the urge to simply open his eyes and demand to know why they were there.

"Don't know. But daddy says he used to be a raccoon."

Gaaras eye flew open. The little brunette squeaked and fell off the side of the bed. The blond jumped but held his balance. Gaara noticed the white clothe slung around the boys neck then the familiar wrap on his arm.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" Gaara asked of the now scowling boy.

"You gonna tell?"

Gaara raised a brow. Even that hurt. "What's to tell?"

They stared at one another a moment longer before the little blond leaned in over him. This close he could make out features and as the boys eyes came into focus something about him seemed familiar and yet not. His eyes were hooded and soft with longer lashes at the upward sloping tip. The nose was sharp and his odd bone structure cut lines from the center of his eyes down into his cheeks. His face looked oddly right with his bright green eyes and nearly white, blond hair. He was more handsome than beautiful. And apparently very bold. Those green eyes roamed over his features with more than just general curiosity. Gaara felt the bed move and groaned. A softly whispered "sorry" came from his left signaling the return of the smaller child.

"Isn't he a little short for a medic?" Gaara asked.

The blond looked thoroughly confused. Realizing the boy was much younger than he'd first thought he sighed and motioned minimally with his head. The blond blinked and looked over.

"Oh! He's my brother."

The dark haired boy was now sitting on the bed and leaning nearly as close as his blond counterpart. The moment he saw his face Gaara knew exactly who he was. He just wasn't sure which one. He looked back at the blond.

"You're Naruto?" The boy nodded vigorously.

He looked back to the brunette. There were only two others that he knew of. He thought he knew this one.

"And you are…" The child's large black eyes widened impossibly and a small smile began to tip his lips. "Hiro?"

The grin he received let him know he was right and that this child didn't get nearly the attention of his brother. Then his tiny lips parted in awe and he blinked.

"Did you really useded to be a raccoon?" Hiro asked in a small voice.

"That's 'used' to be." The blond corrected.

The young boy twitched his nose but otherwise showed no sign that he cared.

"No. I was born this way."

The blond wrinkled his forehead. "But daddy said you were a raccoon."

Gaara smiled just a little. That hurt too. "You're dad never liked me much."

"Why?" The darker haired boy asked shyly

And so the question and answer session began. Naruto did most of the asking but Hiro carried his weight in his own small way. The blond pummeled him with questions most shinobi wouldn't ask a captive during torture and as they talked they moved around restlessly, jostling the bed and causing all of Gaaras aches and pains to manifest past whatever pain killers they might have given him. Just as he thought he could take no more and was about to yell out for help of any kind, Hiro reached out and touched his face. All movement stopped. He remembered the light touch from only moments before but looking at the boy now he realized what a rare thing it was. He saw Naruto smiling from the corner of his eye and wondered just how much bravery the little boy was showing in simply tracing his fingers over the small red tattoo without asking permission.

"Did it hurt?" Hiro asked as he shifted his eyes from the tattoo to Gaaras eyes then quickly shifted back.

"I don't remember. I was very young."

"How old were you?" Naruto asked. The boys' voice growing progressively louder.

"I was six."

Hiros eyes widened again and he sat up perfectly straight. Narutos mouth dropped in awe.

"Your daddy let you have a tattoo at six!" The little blond squealed.

"Daddy says Naruto can't have one until he's thirty." Hiro whispered apparently still in shock.

Feeling a little uncomfortable at the directing this conversation was taking not to mention the fact he was conversing with children under the age of eight, he looked around for something else to occupy the mini ninja.

"How did you hurt your arm?" He asked, remembering the wrap on Narutos arm.

The boy looked down at this arm as if just remembering it then blushed and bowed his head.

"I… fell off… (mumble, mumble)"

Hiro twisted his fingers together and tried not to smile.

"What was that?" Gaara asked again.

"I fell off the Yodaimes nose." The boy sighed in defeat.

Gaara was completely confused. How could a child fall off of someone's nose? It took him a moment to remember the monument. The faces of the previous Hokage etched into the mountain overlooking the village. If he remembered correctly, the fourth had a stand of trees and a large building right under it.

"See, I was practicing my fireball jutsu cause I start the academy this year and daddy says I can't practice near trees or around people or anything and I thought since there aren't any people floating in the air, unless they use wind jutsus, I could practice there so I went to the mountain and climbed out on Yodaimes nose and did all my seals and started to blow my fireball but I lost my balance and slipped and fell down his nose and into the trees and then bounced off the side of the restaurant and broke my arm in three places."

Gaara took a deep breath, only just realizing he'd been holding it as long as the boy had been talking.

"How did you hurt your arm?" Naruto asked then reached as if to poke at it.

"He broke his teammate's nose," came the husky voice from the door. "And a lot more from what I've been hearing."

The boy pulled his hand back with a jerk that rocked the bed. Gaara bit the inside of his cheek to keep from moaning but couldn't hide the pain on his face.

"Sorry." Hiro whispered quietly with a sad frown then slowly and carefully got off the bed.

"Naruto?" The woman walked fully into the room as Hiro moved to wrap his arms around her leg through her white medics robe. "You should be in your room. Sabaku-san needs his rest."

"Yes ma'am." The now subdued child slowly crawled from the bed.

Gaara breathed a sigh of relief as the bed went blissfully still once more, though he hurt no less. He turned his head enough to look at the woman now standing in his room, instructing Naruto on how to replace his arm in the sling around his neck. Her hair was a glossy black that fell straight to her shoulders. He skin was pale with only the slightest hint of pink to show color at all. When she lifted her head to look at him her eyes were as black as her hair and her face was full and round. He could see some of her in the small boy wrapped around her leg. He knew Sasuke Uchiha had two wives. He wondered if the other was Narutos mother. If so she had to have interesting looks.

"Please forgive the boys. Naruto's been curious about you. His name sake talked about you a lot." The woman smiled and began shooing the little blond from the room. "Go to your room, Naruto. Your father is looking for you."

The boys eyes widened a little before he took off out the door.

"_Don't Run!"_ A voice yelled out in the hall before the woman closed it.

"My name is Izanami Uchiha. I'll be overseeing you tonight. I had thought to come by and simply check on you but I see you were in need of a rescue."

"No one likes to admit being beaten by infants but in this case, I thank you for your assistance." Gaara rasped. He hadn't noticed how rough his voice was before.

"Pretty talk. But you sound like you have a toad in your throat." She bent down to kiss the Hiro on top of his head. "Why don't you go and sit with your brother and father. I'm sure Naruto could use the company."

The small boy gave an equally small smile and pulled his mother down to whisper in her ear while he eyed Gaara. She smiled and patted his head before whispering something in his ear and sending him on his way.

"They were really no trouble." Gaara hurried to say while she closed the door.

"Oh, I'm sure they were plenty of trouble but I thank you anyway."

She moved next to the bed and placed her hands on his throat. He winced but didn't complain.

"Is it sore?" She frowned and slid her hands up his throat to just under his jaw.

"No. But everything aches." He replied and tried to lift his bandaged arm.

"Don't move too much. You've strained most of the muscles in your upper body and torn your shoulders. It will take time to heal."

He groaned a little as she moved her hands down each of his arms, taking care not to put too much pressure on the broken one. When she reached for the sheet he jerked. She didn't seem to notice.

"I need to make sure the seals are still active. It will only take a moment." And she slid the sheet to his waist.

"Is Hiro your son?" His voice shook.

"Yes. And I am due to have another in seven months." She lowered her hands to a seal near his midsection.

Gaara sucked in a breath and focused on a shadow on the ceiling.

"Congratulations."

She gave him a confused look as she pressed an area just below his ribs making him wince.

"Congratulations aren't necessary. It's my duty as an Uchiha to help my husband revitalize the clan." A green light emitted from her hands and the pain in his middle slowly ebbed to a dull ache.

"I see. I am sorry. I didn't mean to pry." He relaxed as she lifted her hands and pulled the sheet back up over his chest.

"You're new. You'll learn all the ins and outs soon enough. Everyone has their secrets. Ours just happen to be open ones." She smiled softly and brushed the hair from his forehead.

Remembering the second time Neji slammed his head into a support beam, Gaara didn't tense over the intimate touch though he did frown at the odd statement. He felt the tingle of fingers over his skin, these so much larger but no less soft than the last to touch him, and wondered how many more scars he would boast. It wasn't until her fingers left his forehead to trail through his hair and down the arc of his ear that he began to feel the discomfort of her touch. A discomfort made worse by the soft smile still on her face.

"Relax." The smile slowly turned clinical but the touch remained far to intimate for him to do as she said.

"Izanami-san."

Her hand left him as she turned to the door and Sakuras voice.

"Haruno-san."

"I'll take it from here. You're needed in Naruto-kuns room." Sakuras voice was icy.

"Of course." Izanami looked down at him with that same soft smile. "Excuse me, Sabaku-san." She turned to leave.

Sakura slammed the door so hard behind her the walls shook.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Jomei Higo stood at the edge of the tree line and looked one last time at his daughter. He would miss her but the safety of his family meant more to him. They'd already killed his wife, he would not lose her too.

"Is this enough?" The young girl carried the box to her father and held it up for inspection.

"I think it is. Now put the lid on and tie it up with the cloth like I taught you."

The girl wrapped a brown cloth around the box and tied it with a strip of fabric. She smiled at her handy work and handed the package to her father.

Jomei smiled as he examined the box. Aki was only seven but she took pride in everything she did. Large or small. She had no interest in being a ninja and he never pressed her. She would marry well and have a good and peaceful life. He would make sure of that.

"Very good, sweetheart. You are so talented."

She giggled and hugged him then frowned as he place the package back in her hands.

"Now it's time to say goodbye."

Her lip trembled and tears began to form on her lashes.

"I don't want to go without you, daddy. Who will take care of me?"

He brushed the tears from her eyes and ran his hand through her hair as he sighed.

"There will always be someone to take care of you. And you have a very important task. You have to deliver this package. It's important he receives this."

She leaned into him and rubbed her runny nose on his sleeve. His own eyes started to well and he ruthlessly pushed them back, biting his cheek to keep the swell in his throat from overtaking him.

"When will you come?"

He swallowed and hugged her a little tighter. His voice strained.

"As soon as I can. Until then you be good and take care of the others."

"I will, Daddy."

A figure moved in from behind a stand of trees.

"Higo-san. We must go." The voice was soft and male.

Jomei nodded and pulled back from his daughter.

"Do as they say, ask for help when you need it and deliver the package. I'll join you as soon as I can. I swear it."

Aki smiled though tears were now streaming down her face. She gave a small bow then frowned at the masked figure now standing in the moonlight.

"They scare me, Daddy."

"They won't hurt you baby. They're taking you someplace safe." He looked back at the masked figure then bent and kissed his daughters cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too, Daddy."

Aki whimpered as she watched her father move quickly back the way they'd come. Her eyes filled again and she brushed the tears with her sleeve. A hand touched her shoulder lightly and she turned her face to the masked ninja behind her.

"Why do you wear scary masks?" She asked snuffling.

"Because I have a special job and to do it no one can see my face."

"That's very sad."

"Do you really think so?"

"Yes." She huffed then wrapped her arms around the package in her hand. "It's scary. If people could see you, you wouldn't be so scary."

The ninja nodded then bent down to her as he looked around the clearing. They need to leave soon before the boarder patrol made their rounds.

"Well then, I guess there's nothing for it. But you can't tell."

Aki nodded as he gripped the bottom edge of the mask and lifted it. She peeked at him then smiled.

"You look like a little boy." She giggled.

"Not so scary then?" Sai asked with a shadow of a smile.

"No. Not so scary."

"Then you won't mind walking with me?" He asked, standing and holding out his hand.

She looked back over the desert and soft light of the moon that made the sand look white against the black sky.

"Okay." She sighed softly and wiped another tear from her eye before taking his offered hand and walking back to the camp and the group headed for Konoha.

0.0.0.0.0.0

A lone figure sat on the battlements and stared out over the quiet sand. A movement caught his eye and he watched as a man ran across the desert toward the gates then disappeared behind the southern wall.

"Shiga!"

The man turned toward the station guard and waved.

"Anything happening up here?"

Shiga shrugged and lifted his book up to his nose.

"Not a thing. Pretty boring. Wish they'd give me a better station."

"I wouldn't argue with the post. Here you have a shower."

He shrugged lowering his eyes to the page.

"What the hell is that crap you're reading anyway? I didn't even know you _could_ read."

Shiga smiled. "Well, I wouldn't call it reading."

The guard looked over his shoulder and grinned.

"You're a sick man. If you're wife finds out you're reading porn she's gonna drop your stuff in a sand storm."

Shiga gave a one eyed smile.

"Oh, I don't think I have anything to worry about."

0.0.0.0.0.0

**This felt like a filler but I promise to get things back on track. Hope you enjoy. Reviews are welcome and appreciated!**


	9. Sink or Swim

**For those who'd like to know. The age of consent in this story is 15. I know this seems young for some but if you are allowed to carry lethal weapons, slit peoples throats, and die for your village at 12, I don't see why you can't date, have sex, get married or even get drunk and smoke. Oh, and I don't own Naruto.**

**0.0.0.0.0.0**

"Gaara? Where are you going?" Neji watched his teammate hold the flailing black cat by the nape an arm length from his body.

"I'm taking it to the veterinarian." The red heads voice was laced with mild irritation.

"You don't need to take it to the vet. We just need to take it back to its home so the nice genin laughing at us from the roof over there can get paid." Nejis eyes wondered to said rooftop and the howling genin.

"No. I'm taking it to the vet." Sea green eyes turned toward the Hyuuga looking a little wild. "We've chased this cat down five times in the past four days. It obviously doesn't want to go home. I'm going to put it out of its misery and ours."

Neji sighed and walked behind Gaara as the man headed for the vet. As punishment went this was light. Since Gaaras arm still wasn't completely healed and Neji was still having trouble with a few of his injuries they had been assigned to genin jobs. They did the jobs and the genin assigned to them got paid. It hadn't taken long for the little runts to find out about the special punishment. They were lining up down the halls of the Tower, waiting for the two jounin to show up for another assignment.

"Fine. We'll take it to Hana. She can give it back to its owner."

Gaara nodded and Neji watched him walk for a few minutes, holding the cat out in front of him, before he decided enough was enough.

"Give it to me." He held out his arms for the cat.

Gaara didn't argue, simply turning and depositing the angry feline in his teammates arms. Neji winced at a particularly hard scratch but gamely rubbed behind the cats ears to calm it. The two fell silent as they maneuvered the streets toward the Inuzuka office. Neji stole occasional glances toward the former Kazekage and wondered what the man was thinking. They'd each spent two days in the hospital, neither seeing the other. When they'd been released, Neji hadn't been sure what Gaara would do. But it had been four days since their release and the red head had ignored him in everything but training discussion and their punishment assignments.

"Have you met Hana?" He asked, hoping to at least start a clinic conversation if nothing else. At the rate he was going, he'd have nothing resolved by the end of his allotted week.

"No. I don't have a pet so there isn't a need." Gaara continued ahead, never looking toward his companion.

"I wasn't sure, since you've been here a few times in the past and…"

"No. I haven't." Gaara took two quick strides forward.

A whistle sounded from above and Neji looked up to see the genin looking down on him with something akin to sympathy. He supposed they'd heard about everything. Not just the punishment but Nejis extra task in repairing the damage he'd caused with his little stunt. He turned his eyes from the kids on the rooftops as the vet hospital came into sight. Gaara opened the door and held it as Neji brought the cat inside.

A young chuunin sitting behind a small desk looked up and smiled with a blush at the two men in the doorway. Then she saw the cat.

"Why is _he_ here?" She asked rounding the desk and heading for a small door in the back.

Gaara gave Neji a confused look before the Hyuuga lifted the cats tail to show he was, in deed, a boy. Gaaras eyes widened but he nodded then turned back to the chuunin now leaning her head inside the door.

"_Hell No! Send it back! I don't want that woman anywhere near my hospital!"_

Neji winced and Gaara gave a knowing look. The chuunin said something else and boot heels clicked on wood as someone came to the door from the other side.

"I don't care if the Hokage herself is standing with a toad sitting on her chest; I don't want that cat or his owner anywhere near this hospital!"

Gaaras eyes widened as a dark haired woman in blue robes emerged from the door. She took in both men and the dreaded cat and sighed… loudly.

"Good morning, Inuzuka-san. We are sorry for the interruption." Neji stated though Gaara didn't look the least bit sorry as he grabbed the cat from Nejis arms.

Holding it out by its nape and walking the short distance to the medic, Gaara put the cat directly in Hanas face.

"Taking care of mistreated animals is part of your job, is it not?" He asked directly.

Hana didn't look happy. "Yes."

"Then you should do something about this animal. No animal that's treated well would run as much as this one does."

Hana watched as Gaara stretched his uninjured arm as far out as he could. She looked him over a second time before it dawned on her just who this was. She smiled.

"Neji." The Hyuuga looked over Gaaras head at the woman. "You got off easy."

He grimaced as she took the cat from a seemingly relieved Gaara.

"That's your opinion." He folded his arms over his chest.

"So where are the genin responsible for this?" She asked as her assistant took the cat through the door.

"Probably on the roof." He groused. "Waiting for us to tell the owner where the cat is so they can get paid."

Hanas eyes widened before she burst into fits of laughter.

Gaara was already on his way to the door looking less than pleased and more then ready to be done with the task.

"Oh, don't be so stiff, Sabaku-san! This is mild considering what Gai could have done. You should feel lucky."

Gaara turned slowly to look at her but there was no fear in her eyes. "Should I?"

They stared at one another for a moment. Gaara turned away first then walked out the door. Neji turned to follow but was stopped as Hana cleared her throat.

"You were wrong, but so was he." Neji turned to look at the woman with cool eyes. "If he ever gets his head out of his ass you might be able to apologize for whatever you did."

Neji opened his mouth to explain exactly what it had been when a scream was heard from the back followed by crashing and an irate feline cry.

"Damn Cat!" Hana ran into the back as Neji walked out of her office.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Gai stood at the training field while Sakura shredded leaves from a nearby tree. She'd been more irritable since the boys had gone into the hospital though he couldn't put his finger on the cause. He thought it might have something to do with one of the medic staff but when he'd asked she'd changed the subject and that was the end of it. Now she simply destroyed foliage as they awaited the arrival of their other teammates. Genma and his team where already standing at the road some feet away, ready to watch Gaaras performance on the field. With any luck, in another week the group could rejoin the mission roster, not that any of them were hurting for money but it was healthy for both mind and body to be useful.

"Here they come." Sakura called.

Over the slope Neji and Gaara made their sedate way to the training ground. Both seemed in deep thought and were obviously not conversing. Gai sighed knowing another day had been lost to Gaaras stubbornness and lack of trust. Though he wasn't sure just how hard Neji was trying either.

"Good Morning fellow shinobi! It is a glorious day for training!" Gai yelled causing both men to snap out of their own thought and look at him.

Gaaras eyes widened while Neji moved closer to the to already seated on a fallen log.

"Gaara! Lets get going!" Sakura called when the red head didn't move.

"This isn't a training field. It's a lake." Gaara said quietly.

Genma moved up behind the young man, noting his skin was now dewed and seemed paler than usual.

"You alright, Gaara? You need to head to the hospital?"

Gaara stood quietly for a moment then looked back at Genma.

"Yes. I need to go back to the hospital."

Sakura, who'd walked over to check that things were alright, heard Gaaras request and frowned.

"You did everything you could to get out of there as fast as possible including threatening a few of the nurses and now you want to go back?"

Gaara nodded several times as he stared over the large expanse of water only feet away.

"Alright. Let me take a look at you and see if you need to go all the way back up there." Sakura sighed and grabbed for Gaaras arm. He yanked it out of her grasp and stepped way from her.

"Gaara? What's wrong? I'm just going to check it. I've done it a thousand times this week. Just get over here and let me look at it."

He nodded again and she reached for him again but he jerked at her touch and stepped farther away.

Gai and Neji watched from a stand of reeds as Gaara moved farther and farther away from Sakura and closer and closer to the waters edge.

"What do you think the problem is?" Neji asked concerned as Gaara moved close to the slippery bank.

"I'm not sure. Perhaps we should…"

_splash_

Gai blinked and Neji snorted as Gaara slipped in the mud at the banks and fell back into the water. Since the lake was man made there were no slopes and the drop off was deep. Sakura looked up bewildered and Genma rolled his eyes. A moment passed. Then another. Gaara didn't come back up.

"Shit!"

Gai and Genma were first in the water. Both going under at the same time as Neji ran for Sakura and the two jounin by the road came down to the waters edge. Long seconds passed and the ripples dissipated as everyone on the banks waited for someone to come up for air.

"What's going on?" Came Chojis voice from just behind them.

Sakura opened her mouth to speak when Gai and Genma came up holding a limp Gaara in their arms, his too long hair obscuring his face.

"What the…?" Choji dropped his bag of crisps and shouldered past Yukio and Shichiro to help Neji pull the men in.

Sakura dropped to the ground and took several deep breaths while the men pulled Gaara and lay him in front of her. His pale skin was clammy and he wasn't breathing as she touched his chin and tipped his head back. His heart beat beneath her palm at a steadily slowing rate.

"Sakura?" Neji asked, now on his knees next to her.

She leaned forward while pulling his mouth open with her thumb, and pressed her open mouth to his. She blew several deep breaths into his mouth, making sure to keep his head tilted back, when his body suddenly jerked and a strange sound choked from between his lips. Moments later a geyser of water spewed from his mouth and he coughed repeatedly. She and Neji turned him to his side to allow his lungs a chance to purge themselves.

"What the hell…" Yukio started only to have Genma wave him off.

"Just get someone down here with stretcher. I don't know what the hell happened but it looks like he's going back to the hospital after all."

0.0.0.0.0.0

"The first group is here. They were brought in through the southern gate this morning." Shizune placed the report on the Hokages desk.

"They made good time. Guess they didn't run into any trouble."

"None that couldn't be dealt with easily. Seems they have some children who are afraid of the ANBU masks. Sai's been taking care of them."

Tsunade looked up with wide eyes.

"Sai? ROOTS Sai? Has the nerve to call Choji fat Sai? Doesn't understand a basic 'knock, knock' joke Sai?"

"Well, it seems he understood they needed to move quickly and he understood the children were uncomfortable so he fell back on the books he'd read and decided to make the children comfortable to gain their trust. It worked. He has a following of little rug rats at his heels as we speak." Shizune grinned.

"Oh, I'm sure he's handling that well." Tsunade laughed and lifted the report.

"No ones really sure how he's taking it. Since he never really learned how to give anything away no one can tell if he's irritated, confused or happy about it."

Tsunade sighed and chuckled over the image of Sai walking hand in hand with several children while being followed in pied piper fashion up and down the streets of Konoha. The idea had her smiling and she leaned back in her chair with perversely peaceful expression.

"All of the refugees are to be examined and moved to ANBU headquarters for debriefing and relocation. I'll be down soon the personally oversee everything. I want them out within the week."

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Shizune cleared her throat while rifleing through the contents of the desk. "Oh, and there was a incident on the training grounds this morning." Shizune lifted some of the signed papers from the desk and turned toward the door.

"What was that?" Tsunade turned her uninterested gaze to a small stack of papers behind which hide her Sake bottle.

"Gai team had a little accident but it's taken care of."

Tsunade looked up at her assistant with narrowed eyes. All incidents with team Gai were to be reported to her immediately.

"It's late afternoon. Why am I just hearing about this and what exactly happened?"

Shizune turned fully to the desk with a light blush on her cheeks.

"I know you said everything was to be reported but it was a small problem and nothing that would disrupt the team. It seemed silly to bother you with it."

Tsunade steepled her fingers and frowned over them at her long time companion.

Shizune sighed and lowered he gaze. "Gaara fell in the lake."

It took Tsunade a moment to absorb that. When she did she frowned all the harder.

"And? That can't be all. Everyone falls in that lake at least once. Sometimes once a week!"

Shizune nodded then groaned a little. "They had to jump in and retrieve him."

"Explain retrieve." Her eyes narrowing, the blond leaned farther over her desk.

"It seems… well, Gaara-kun… he can't swim."

"He can't swim?"

"No."

"Not even doggy paddle?"

"No."

"So he fell in…"

"And sank like a rock, yes, Lady Tsunade. But he didn't need to stay in the hospital. He was in and out quickly." She reassured. Hoping it didn't set the woman off.

"Well that's… you're right, Shizune."

"Right about what?"

Tsunade stood and ushered the confusion woman with her arms full of papers, out the door.

"I really didn't need to be bothered with that. Way too many important things to do. I'll just leave it to the team to decide how to handle it and…"

"But Lady Tsunade! You said…"

"Forget it." She pushed the dark haired woman out the door and slammed it shut in her face.

The moment the door was closed she moved back to her desk and her bottle of Sake. With visions of Sai in baby land and Gaara walking stoically by kio fish she sat down to take a much needed break. After all, nothing really surprised her that much anymore. It was a nice change.

0.0.0.0.0.0

"What are you doing?" Konohamaru asked.

Moegi sat going over the short list she had composed while twirling a kunai on the table next to her.

"I'm making a grocery list. We haven't got a thing in the house and I'm starved."

"No." He slid into the seat beside her and looked her over. "You've taken your hair down."

Moegi nodded.

"And cut it!" The boisterous brunette lifted a hand and touched the chin length ends of her hair.

"It was getting hard to deal with. Besides, I needed a change. I'm not a kid anymore."

Konohamaru looked at her, suspicion obvious on his face.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with a red headed former Kazekage would it?"

This time the girl blushed. "I just wanted a change. A girl has to try something new every once in a while."

Her teammate and friend shook his head sadly. She ignored it and continued with her list. It was true. She wanted to change but she had to admit that she hoped Gaara would take notice. She knew she wasn't a great beauty but hoped the new look would help her look a little older if not more attractive. At 15 it was difficult to change much else. Oh, there were ways but they all seemed too time consuming, useless or just plain silly. She was a strong, young kunoichi and a good one. She didn't have time for frivolity.

"Well, just as long as you aren't doing it for some guy I guess it's okay." Her teammate groused.

Moegi smiled and ruffled his already mussed hair.

"Oh, come on Konohamaru. You know I only do these kinds of things for you." She purred.

The young man in question jumped and gave her a sharp look.

"You're not supposed to talk to me like that! We aren't dating anymore!" He whispered heatedly.

She giggled and rolled her eyes before picking up her list and standing to stretch. She watched Konohamarus eyes quickly take in the site before shifting in the opposite direction. They'd broken up mutually, it wasn't good dating a teammate, but she was sure he wouldn't mind a little tumble with her now and again. Sadly for the male population, she wasn't that kind of girl no matter how much fun it was.

"Where's Udon? I thought you and he were training together?"

Konohamaru looked off down the street as a vendor started packing up his business for the end of the day.

"He went home early. We couldn't get anything done after that big scene by the training fields. Too many fan girls hanging around. We were afraid we'd hurt them and apparently so was everyone else."

"Whos fan girls this time?" She asked with a smile, knowing most of them were Gaaras.

"Gaaras and Sasukes."

"Sasukes?" She looked at him stunned. What were Sasukes fan girls doing at the training field?

"Yah! When we all managed to get back on the field, Sasuke was there with little Naruto and Hiro. Seems Hiro has figured out how to make a tiny fire ball jutsu and they were practicing."

Moegi looked alarmed. "He didn't…"

"Oh no!" Konohamaru rushed to reassure. "It's really small. Nothing like Narutos."

She blew out a breath and turned into a small market with fruit stands against the outside wall.

"Speaking of… You watching his kids tomorrow night?" Konohamaru watched the Uchiha children once a week. Since the three tended to be more trouble than most, Sasuke just hired ninja to watch them. They liked her spicy teammate so he usually got the job.

"Yeah, wanna help out? He's paying B rank this time since Hiro learned the new jutsu and Tadao found his voice."

_So, peace in the village is a thing of the past, _she thought remembering the day Naruto learned to talk. "I'll get back to you on that." She smiled and waved as she turned into the market.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Gaara lay on his back staring out of the open shutters at the stars. Night had fallen but he was no closer to sleep. The day had been long and needless to say, embarrassing.

He'd panicked. There was no other way to explain it. In Suna there was little water. Walking on it was more an exercises in keeping your feet dry. Most bodies of water were no more than knee deep. He'd taken one look at that lake and known it was much more than knee deep. All he could think every time Sakura had reached for his arm was that she was going to drag him out over that body of water. Into that body of water. And what had he done?

"So stupid." He groaned and rubbed his hands over his face.

His hands stilled and he grew quiet at the sound of soft shoes on the landing outside. A few moments of silence and there was a knock on his door. He hadn't locked it, knowing the neighbors sometimes came by to check on him this time of night and expected it to be one of them. So he was surprised when the door opened and Neji walked through it. The Hyuuga looked over the room with expressionless eyes then turned to the bed.

"Get up. Get dressed. Bring your bath towel."

"What are you doing here?" Gaara stood from the bed and followed the taller man as he rummaged around his closets, tossing pants and shirts at him.

"Helping. It's getting chilly out. You don't want to go out in just that."

A net shirt dropped on top of Gaaras head and he tossed it to the floor. He crossed his arms and glared holes in Nejis back. At least until Neji turned and slammed a shirt over his head.

"Put your arms in that and get some pants on." He turned back to the closet.

"Exactly why am I getting dressed and why are you here?"

Neji pulled the bath towel and drying towel down from the shelf and turned again.

"We're going to the baths. Unless you want to freeze on the way back I suggest you put on you pants." He grabbed a pair of pants off the floor and threw them in Gaaras face.

"The baths?"

Gaara stood totally confused. Of all the reasons to visit someone at this time of night…

"You didn't tell us you couldn't swim." Neji said quietly.

Gaara blinked and blushed. "I didn't think it was necessary."

"You could have drowned." The Hyuuga eyed the red head with dispassionate eyes.

"Disappointed?"

They watched one another for a moment before Neji turned and walked to the door.

"Get dressed or I'll dress you myself." Gaaras shoes flew at him from the door. "I'll be outside."

The door slammed and Gaara stood holding a pair of pants with a shirt handing around his neck and his shoes toppled at his feet wondering exactly how long Neji would wait outside the door if he decided not to show. The sound of a soft knock came from outside and one of the neighbors doors opened. He heard Neji greet the older woman, heard her cooing the Hyuugas name and several little pet endearments, then his door smoothly opened.

"Now, Gaara-kun. It's not good to sleep in the days dirt and grim. You won't feel rested in the least."

"Watari-sobo. I assure you I'm fine with…"

"Now, now. Be a good boy and let's get you dressed."

Gaara looked toward the open door as the elderly woman lifted each of his arms in turn to slip them into the sleeves of his shirt. Neji stood grinning at him. Seems he wasn't the only one who could fight dirty.

0.0.0.0.0.0

**Hope you all enjoyed. I'd love a review or two. You spoiled me with the last one. Thanks to Kaotic312 for some nice one liners and thanks to all those who've sent in reviews! I love to get critiqued! **


	10. Gifts and Gossip

**Thank you for all your reviews. I'm currently trying to write three chapters (each for a different story) and they are getting all crossed up. I have an idea for one that pulls me to an idea for another and... well, you get the picture. Anyway, hope you enjoy. And as far as a character being OOC, I hope to explain that very soon.**

0.0.0.0.0.0

"You have you're own baths?" Gaara followed Neji into a steam filled enclosure.

"The Hyuuga compound has its own baths. I don't own anything." Neji commented dryly.

The taller boy placed his drying towel on the stone bench by the entrance and started stripping out of his robes. Gaara, who was wearing pants, moved to a more secluded area of the bath to strip down and wrap the bathing towel around his hip. With the knot tied off he looked through the heavy steam to see Neji bending down to test the water.

"Sometimes it's a little too hot but it seems alright. Come on. Get in." Neji slipped slowly into the water.

Gaara watched until Neji's feet hit the bottom. The water only covered the man to his hips. Feeling more than a little unsure of this, Gaara moved to the side of the bath and sat on the edge.

"You never told me exactly why I'm here." He prodded.

"I'm teaching you how to swim."

Gaara blinked wide eyes set in a very stunned face. Neji looked at him with upturned lips.

"You know. I don't think I've seen that look since you died."

"Wha...?" The look only became more confused.

"That stunned 'I have no idea what's going on and you people are scaring me' look. The last time I saw it you had just opened your eyes from being dead for a day and more than half of your village was..." He stopped in mid sentence as the stunned expression began to drain from the red heads face, leaving it white and empty. "Forgive me." He bowed his head.

"No." Gaara swallowed and licked his lips. "No. I'm being far too sensitive about this. You didn't mean any harm by it."

"Not like the last time." Neji spoke softly as he raised his eyes.

"Not like the last time." Gaara repeated.

A moment passed of simply considering one another then both men nodded. Neji was sure Gai would never consider that an apology. In fact, he was pretty sure no one would actually consider that an apology but it seemed to work just fine for the two of them. And if they could move on from this point he wasn't going to argue the point, nor tell another soul about it.

"Do we need to take off the wrap?" Neji asked as he moved farther into the water.

"No. I'll replace it when we return... why are we doing this now?"

There was a splash from somewhere in the heavy steam then Gaara felt something brush against his leg, making his jump. Neji surfaced inches away and blinked the water from his long lashes. Feeling very uncomfortable in this situation, Gaara crossed his legs at the ankle and his arms over his chest.

"Wow, homophobic are we?" Neji jeered.

"No." A piece of his too long hair slipped from its tie and dropped between his eyes.

"And we're back to one word answers." The Hyuuga stood and crossed his arms over his own chest. "Get in. Now."

The hair on the back of Gaaras neck stood up and his face shut down. Giving Neji his best "I'm a bigger fish than you" look, his eyes narrowed.

"No."

"Maybe I should just drown you and save us all a lot of trouble." Neji groused and turned away into the steam again. "Fine. Stay there and freeze. I'm going for a swim!"

There was another splash. Gaara tensed until he heard Neji surface somewhere on the other side of the bath. How the Hyuuga thought he'd freeze was a mystery. The steam was so thick he couldn't see past his own nose. But the longer he sat there the more he realized it was getting colder. He looked down at his feet dangling in the water and groaned. The water was hot and only his feet to the knees were covered. The rest of his was in much cooler air. Goosebumps raised on his arms and thighs as he debated. Get in the pool with a possibly amorous Neji or get up, get his clothes and make a run for it?

"_Byakugan!"_

"Shit!"

"You can run but you can't hide!" Nejis sing song croon came from the thick mist.

"Since when are you so chipper? What happened to the haughty Neji everyone loved to hate?" Gaara spat out as he slowly started lowing himself into the pool.

"He spent too much time with Lee and died a much needed death." Water splashed and moments later Neji surfaced with a gasping breath.

"I think I miss him." Gaaras feet hit the bottom and he stood waist deep in near scalding water.

"Give yourself a minute to get used to the temperature then we'll get started." Neji rolled onto his back and floated next to the scowling red head.

"Just so you know, I'm not gay."

Neji shifted his eyes and smiled. "Good. I worried you jump me again."

Gaara choked then sputtered then choked again. Neji gave mock worry and stood to pat the former Kazekage on the back.

"You... though I... was..." Gaara gasped out between hits.

"No. But it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong and you were hitting below the belt a _lot _the other day." Neji shrugged.

Embarrassed, Gaara pulled away and sank to his neck in the lightly lapping water.

"Sometimes, if you want to win, you can't fight fairly. Not many bad guys are going to be chatty while they bury a kunai in your skull. Kankuro taught me to play dirty not long after I died." He paused for a moment then looked over his shoulder at the now reclining Hyuuga. "That really sounds weird doesn't it?"

"What? That you fight dirty or that you died?"

"The latter."

"Yes. Yes it does."

Both men started laughing. When the howling died down to chuckles and sighs Neji shifted closer to his teammate and straightened.

"Ready for your first lesson?"

0.0.0.0.0.0

"_Byakugan!"_

Hanabi moved smoothly through the halls of the main house. She'd heard the noise from outside her window and thought it was branch family out for a late stroll... until she'd seen that shock of red hair and the unmistakable silhouette of her cousin. What were Neji and Gaara doing out this late? And why was Neji wearing a robe.

Outside the air brushed her cheeks. She pulled her coat a little tighter around her shoulders and followed the path to two men had made in passing. It lead to the bathhouse. Steam billowed from the open enclosure and she moved up to the wooden slat walls to listen to the muted voices under all the splashing.

"_Just hold still and relax."_

She searched the pool as Nejis voice came through the walls. What she found had her eyes widening and mouth hanging open.

"_Easy for you to say. You're not the one in this position."_

Hanabi tossed a hand over her mouth to hold in the squeak. The back of Nejis head was plainly visible just above the water. Gaara was floating in front of him, eyes closed and head reclined on the surface of the water. Neji appeared to have his hands place under the mans body as it floated and bobbed.

"_Wait! Not yet." _

She watched Gaaras face as he winced then his legs twitched a little.

"_Spread your legs a little and drape your arms out. It might help."_

Hanabi watched, horrified as the red head did exactly as he was told. Turning quickly she moved as silently as possible back toward the house, deactivating her blood-line limit as she went. The girls were never going to believe this.

0.0.0.0.0.0

"That wasn't so bad now was it? You don't have a lot of body fat so you won't float well but you get the idea."

Gaara sighed and nodded as he dried the ends of his hair. They were at the main gate. Neji had given him directions back to his apartment. The Hyuuga had offered to walk him back but he'd declined. He's spent enough up close and person time with the man and though it had, for the most part, be pleasant he still wanted this small walk alone. He had a lot to think about.

"Tomorrow I'll teach you to dog paddle."

"Dog paddle?"

Neji smiled and put both hands out in front like paws then flopped them up and down.

"You know. Dog paddle."

Gaara still looked confused but was simply too tired to worry about it.

"I'll take your word for it."

Neji stilled and stared blankly at him for a moment.

"That's a start."

Not wanting to dwell on the moment or start another possible argument over the comment, Gaara turned and slipped out the back gate. With a simple parting wave he jumped into the trees and took off toward town.

Neji watched until he could no longer see him then turned back to his small house. It had gone better than he'd expected. Not that he'd expected much. But when he'd realized that afternoon that Gaara couldn't swim he'd looked at it as a blessing. Here was his opportunity apologize for his earlier ill spoken comment and perhaps build a little team camaraderie in the process. So far, it looked like fate was smiling on him. He only hoped he'd meet with the same luck tomorrow.

0.0.0.0.0.0

A knock on his door woke Gaara as the light first shown into the room. Mentally kicking himself for oversleeping he got up to answer.

"Well, good morning Gaara-kun. I hope your bath was relaxing and purifying last night."

Gaara smiled softly and kindly at the older woman and stepped back to allow her entrance. In her hands she carried a tray of sweet dumplings and a small wrapped box.

"I thank you for the food and your kindness, Watari-sobo. You do far too much."

The older widow preened and glanced quickly at the young mans bare chest before turning her gleaming eyes back on his face. She loved them just like this. Lethal and clueless.

"Now, now. You'll make my head swell if you keep on." She patted his shoulder and smiled to see he didn't tense at the gesture this time. "By the way, this was at your door this morning. I wasn't sure if it was harmful so I asked one of those nice gentlemen downstairs to check it for me. That Genma fellow it such a character. But they said it was fine and I thought I might bring it in for you." She winked at him as she handed over the wrapped box. "You must have an admirer dear boy."

Gaara lifted the box and loosened the tie. The cloth dropped away from a small pottery box glazed in hues of brown and red. It looked familiar. Far too familiar. What little color there was in his face slowly faded as he stared at the seal carved in the lid.

"Oh my! Isn't that lovely!" The widow crooned as she peered down at the beautifully sculpted box. "Someone has put a considerable amount of time and effort into this gift, Gaara-kun."

"Yes. Yes they have."

Shaking he placed his large hand over the small lid and lifted it. Then choked on his own cry.

"Are you alright, dear? You look pale."

Carefully setting the lid on the small table he raised his free hand to dip into the contents. Soft crunching followed and he swallowed, lifting the hand and letting the golden sand run from between his slack fingers.

"Oh my. What an wonderfully thoughtful gift."

Gaara blinked as he shifted his eyes to the widow who was smiling up at him.

"Nothing like a little piece of home to brighten ones day." She patted his arm.

"Did you see who..." He start to ask but she shook her head and tsked him.

"No, dear, but I'm sure it doesn't matter. It was a gift from the heart and you should treasure it."

With that she turned and hobbled from the room.

"Be sure to eat. You're far too skinny." She called over her shoulder.

Gaara watched her go with glazed eyes, never noticing the masked figure in the tree only a few yards away, hidden in the early morning shadows. The ANBU slipped from the branches and made his way back to the Tower as the door closed on the image of Gaara and the small box of desert sand.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Sakura glance over the small desk in the hospital entranceway as a group of young medic interns spoke in urgent hushed voices. She had no idea what had gotten them so riled up but they needed to get to work before Tsunade showed up.

"Who's on the list this morning, Yumi?"

The spunky little chuunin looked over the patient list of the day then stopped and glanced back at the group of chattering girls.

"Neji Hyuuga is schedule for an examination this morning, Haruno-sensei."

Sakura nodded then glanced up at the girls. One seemed to notice her stare and blushed before hastily saying her goodbyes and heading to her duties. As the others started to brake up and move on their way Sakura rested her bottom on the desk and looked down at the now nervous chuunin.

"Are you going to tell me what that was all about or would you rather explain it to Shizune?"

The young girls chocolate brown eyes widened. Everyone knew the Hokage had a temper but no, NO ONE messed with Shizune. She may not have the temper but she was far more likely to punish you in uncomfortable and humiliating ways.

"Well, one of the girls went to breakfast at the ramen shop. You know the one on..."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Yes, I know it well."

The girl paled a little and Sakura motioned for her to continue before she lost her temper and the girl lost some teeth.

"Well. You see one of the chuunin teams was walking in and she overheard them talking about the Kazekage."

"Gaara-san. You will address him as Sabaku-san or Gaara-san if he wishes. Do not call him by that title."

The girl nodded and lowered her head as she finished her story.

"Well, they were talking about Sabaku-san and Hyuuga-san..."

"That would be Neji Hyuuga?" The girl nodded and Sakura motioned for her to continue.

"They were talking about them and the fight last week and then... well, it seems one of the girls saw the two of them together in the baths."

The girl swallowed and peeked up at her elder. Sakura raised a brow.

"I see nothing unusual about men taking baths but do go on."

"It seems they were in a very... compromising position."

Sakura blinked.

"Compromising?" The girl swallowed at Sakuras narrowing eyes. "As in they were..."

"It's just what she heard! Just one of the girls talking!"

Sakura leaned down into the poor girls face until she whimpered.

"So by now half the village thinks that they are lovers?"

Yumis bottom lip trembled.

"Who are lovers?" Hinata asked as she handed a package across the desk to a fuming Sakura.

"You're never going to believe it." Sakura replied.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Tsunade signed the last paper and handed to Shizune.

"They are all accounted for and moving smoothly through processing. With any luck we'll be able to move them in three days instead of five."

The Hokage nodded.

"The next report is due in this afternoon and another group will be here in four days."

Tsunade nodded again, this time with a smile.

"You're awfully happy this morning. Did you kick a genin down the stairs or something?"

Tsunade sighed. Sadly it was nothing quite that fun but still...

"What? Tell me! You make me nervous when you get like this."

Tsunade grinned and leaned back in her chair.

"Well, I _know_ how much you hate to gossip but..."

0.0.0.0.0.0

**Not nearly as long as usual, I know, but I have a class tonight and wanted to get this up. Hope you enjoy and as always, reviews are welcome.**


	11. Missions

**TaDa! Here I am again. Hoping to make you laugh and cry and all that other nonsense. **

**I don't own Naruto. Their loss.**

0.0.0.0.0.0

Three weeks and two boxes of sand. Gaara fingered the small, melon-sized gourd sitting in front of him. He was meeting friends for breakfast and to thank them for this small gift. It was now half full with the two boxes of sand he'd received and something about it made him feel just a little more solid.

Pulling the cork he tipped the contents into his hand. He'd not been able to manipulate the sand since he'd left Suna. The medics had thought it was the drugs, but that wasn't the case. He could make sand easily from the minerals and rocks in the ground. No, he'd simply been unable to control the sand at all. Tsunade knew. She thought it was a mental block he'd placed on himself. A form of psychological protection. He understood protecting the mind. He'd had little of that protection as a child but now... he just didn't understand.

Sighing he lifted a hand over the small puddle of sand. Gathering his chakra he tried to manipulate the tiny pile. A few grains of sand lifted to his hand, whirled, then fell. He didn't frown at the failure. It wasn't the first and he doubted it would be the last. He simply wished he understood why.

"Still not working?"

Gaara looked up to see Gai standing in front of him. He shook his head in answer then started sifting the sand back into the small gourd.

"No need to stop for me. Please, continue with your training. Your abilities will only grow more distant if you neglect them."

Gai gave his nice guy smile and a rather tame thumbs up before moving away from the table and toward a woman on the far side of the room. As he watched, Gai greeted her, kissed her warmly on the cheek and pulled out her seat. Gaaras eyes widened just a touch as the woman subtly ran her closest hand down Gais back to squeeze his ass, making the man blush to his hairline.

"She used to be a tea girl."

Gaara whipped his head around, startled. Neji stood in front of his table and smiled across the room as their team leader finally took his seat.

"You startled me."

"Because you were gawking so hard you didn't notice me coming." Neji pulled out a chair and sat opposite him. The whispers of the passing crowds and current dinners grew louder for a moment before dieing back down.

"I wasn't gawking. I was observing. It's what shinobi do." Gaara grumbled and returned to sifting the sand back into the gourd.

"She's older than him. About four years I think. She was a tea girl in the land of earth. She hadn't been treated well. Gai was only a teenager when he stumbled across her. Apparently Gai as a teen wasn't much different from Lee at that age. He apparently fell in love instantly and stole her away. She lives in the cottage next to his house. If I didn't know she'd been there for around twenty years I'd say the whole story was a joke but... there's just something about them."

Gaara corked the gourd and glance at the couple again.

"You never asked either of them?"

"Yes." Neji shrugged. "I asked Gai once. He said Chiharu was the light of youth and love and he wouldn't slander her good name by fueling such outrageous stories."

"So who told you?"

"Genma."

"Figures."

They fell silent as they turned back to face one another. A slow smile spread over Nejis face and Gaara matched it.

"You see her too?" Neji spoke low as he cut his eyes to the open store front.

"Yes." Gaara replied equally quiet.

Hanabis dark hair peeked from behind a cloth flap for a moment before sliding back out of site. A moment later she walked down the street, greeting villagers and fellow shinobi before stepping into the opposite stand and taking a seat.

"So it's been her?" Gaara kept a steady gaze on Neji, smiling.

"Oh, yes. Hinata followed her last night after the guard confirmed seeing her out after dark." Nejis eyes hooded and his shoulder rounded slightly as he leaned into the table.

"I still don't see why she thinks we're lovers?" Gaaras smile broke on a sigh be he quickly pulled a decent pout in it's place.

"I'm sure it has something to do with the 'doggy style' comment you made." Neji cocked his head to the side.

"I couldn't remember what you'd called it." Gaara groused still holding the pout.

"Dog paddle." Neji offered then fluttered his eye lashes.

"Dog paddle. Doggy style. Whats the difference?"

"A great deal. And I'm not about to explain it to you here."

Gaara felt his jaw crack ominously.

"I'm going to kill your cousin."

"If you two aren't careful, you're going to kill all the women in this room." Chojis voice broke into their conversation as he and Shikamaru moved toward the table to take a seat. "About half of them are red and not because they're angry."

Neji and Gaara continued to stare at one another for a moment. Hanabi, now very red and shifting uncomfortably in her seat, gathered her food and walked off down the road and out of sight. The smiles faded from the mens faces to be replaced with sneers.

"I'll help. How do you want her do die? Slow and painful or slow and humiliating?" Neji gritted out.

"What happened to quick and painless?" Shikamaru asked.

"It doesn't exist." Gaara replied then relaxed and looked down at the gourd he'd just corked. "I haven't been able to properly thank the two of you for this." He spoke to Choji and Shikamaru.

"No need. When I told Choji about the sand he thought you could use a new gourd." A serving girl came and took their orders. As she left the shadow shinobi continued. "Ino got it. Her mother does excellent work."

Gaara looked up, surprised, and fingered the small gourd in his hands. Unlike his old gourd, this one was made of clay but the craftsmanship was remarkably similar to the original. Only on a smaller scale.

"I will thank her personally." He whispered.

"I'm sure she'd love it but it's not required." Choji pulled out a bag of fruit chips and started eating. Shikamaru reached out and took the bag. Choji over sized his palm and engulfed the smaller mans entire hand to retrieve the chips. A small tug-of-war ensued.

Neji shook his head and stood. "We have a mission this afternoon. I'll see you then."

Gaara nodded as Neji turned to leave. Several eyes followed his departure. The battle between the two friends next to him settled down, with Choji the victor and Shikamaru shaking his hand vigorously to regain the feeling in it.

"I told you. This _counts_ as fruit!"

0.0.0.0.0.0

"I wondered why it was an A-rank mission." Udon sighed as he placed his slip on the desk in front of the clerk.

"I didn't know children could pee that much." Konohamarus eyes were still wide and a little shaken.

"You two watch Sasukes boys again?" The clerk asked as she looked down at the slip.

"And Tsunade and Hidekatsu. And Tadao is potty training. Do you know what happens when little boys potty train?" Udon sniffed and subconsciously wiped at his nose.

Since the clerk had two sons she had a pretty good idea. "No wonder it was A-rank. So why did they give it to two chuunin?"

At that moment Tsunade came through the hall door. She smiled when she saw the boys looking haggard and worn.

"How's my little granddaughter?" She asked with a smile that curdled their breakfast in their stomaches.

"She's wonderful, Hokage-sama" Udon spoke up as Konohamaru sneered.

It only made Tsunade smile more. "Good. I knew you two were just the men for the job. And since you're both up for promotion to jounin in a couple of months I thought it would be good practice." She patted Konohamaru hard on a rather tender bite mark then grinned as she walked away to the sound of his loud moan.

"That woman is a sadist!" He bit out through clenched teeth, rubbing the tiny bite Tadao had given him for trying to dress him last night.

The clerk simply laughed, handed the boys their pay and sent them on their way.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Takako Uchiha slipped into Sasukes study and lifted the note from the desk. Sneering she crumpled it and tossed it in the nearby bin. At seven months pregnant with twins she was more than a little prickly that her husbands lover couldn't be just a bit more subtle. After all, she was making a little progress with him. She just needed more time and some space.

"Is there a problem, Takako?"

She turned awkwardly at Sasukes voice but put on her sweetest smile.

"No. I was just coming to speak with you for a while." Franticly she ran through options of acceptable things to talk to him about. "I wanted to discuss Naruto-kuns entrance into the academy this year."

Sasuke frown and she nearly panicked. She liked the boy fine but she never really spoke about him. She was more than a little upset that he was first in line to inherit. He was nothing more than a stray to the family. It didn't seem fair that her son should be left out because of him. But if discussing the boys entrance into the academy would win her time and consideration from her husband then she would do it. And once she had her husbands favor her son would have a proper place in the family. After all, her son was the only one truly noble born and the Uchiha name was legendary and highly revered.

"Take a seat." Sasuke broke in after a moments silence and moved to sit behind his desk.

She smiled and took a seat beside him instead of in front of him. He raised his head from staring at a point on his desk, raised a brow at her then simply sighed and leaned back into the seat.

"Tell me, Sasuke, about the academy and what it will be like for Naruto-kun?" She asked sweetly then smiled as he began to fill her in on things she could care less about hearing.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Sakura stood in the center of the crowded street face to face with a wide eyed Gaara. Only he wasn't staring at her.

"It's been a long time since you've seen her. I keep forgetting that." She walked toward a small bench, motioning for him to follow.

She bent and lifted the little red haired girl to the seat. The child clung to her arm and eyed Gaara with wide blue eyes.

"I've only seen her the once. Not long after she was born. I'd forgotten Narutos mothers hair was red." Gaara bent down in front of her. Keeping his distance in case she became upset.

"She's two now and a little skittish. Don't be upset if she won't let you touch her." Sakura touched the girls hair. "Tsunade. This is Gaara. He was your daddys friend."

"Da-dee fwen." The child mimicked.

"That's right. Say hello. Don't be shy." Tsunades eyes never left the man in front of her but she did grace him with a small smile.

"Bye Bye." She whispered and waved her small slender hand.

Sakura laughed as Gaara looked a little confused.

"She hasn't quite got the hang of hello and goodbye yet. It's all the same to her."

Gaara nodded and gave the girl a small smile of his own. "You mentioned her a few weeks ago. I'm sorry I haven't been to see her. I know you don't want her on the training fields."

"It's alright. She spends most of the day with the kids in the village since I work the hospital as well. This is a rare day for us to be together like this."

A gust of wind blew dust into the air. Gaara blinked several times to clear his eyes, inwardly cursing the fact that he couldn't simply stop it from getting there.

Tsunades eyes widened ever farther then her lips separated to show a mouth full of baby teeth and an extremely sharp set of incisors. Her little hand lifted and she pointed one slender finger... straight at his eyes.

"Waccoon!" She squealed.

Sakuras mouth dropped open and she shot her eyes to Gaara but the former sand shinobi only sighed and shook his head.

"She spends a lot of time with Naruto and Hiro doesn't she?" He asked sounding resigned.

"Some. Yes." Then it hit her. "He's still telling that story again?! I hate that story! He made me a shrew!"

Gaara tried not to grin when she said that. Tsunade saw the almost smile and assumed it was alright to smile herself. She looked up at her mother with an even bigger grin.

"Shoo!" She giggled.

"I've been telling him for years to stop telling that story to the kids. But he never listens and Izanami thinks it's funny as hell... opps. Mommy didn't say that."

"Ell." Sakura groaned and Tsunade laughed.

"So, I'm a raccoon and you're a shrew." He thought on that a moment as Sakura tried to explain to the two year old why _that_ word was bad. "What is Sasuke?"

"Huh?" She looked up from her useless explanation and shook her head. "Oh... A fox, what else."

Gaara nodded then smiled. "What is Neji?"

Sakura looked wistful for a moment before rolling her eyes and her venomous smile to her curious teammate.

"A house bat."

0.0.0.0.0.0

"Son-of-a..."

Shizune looked up from her pile of paperwork to see a very stunned Tsunade staring at a single scroll.

"What is it?" She stood and walked over only to slow to a complete stop when she saw the seal.

"Suna?"

"Yeah... Suna." Tsunade dropped the scroll on the desk and drummed her fingers as her eyes slowly focuses and her face went blank. "They've sent their conformation for the chuunin exams."

Shizune grabbed a seat and sat down with a thump.

"Guess they aren't satisfied with just the Village Hidden in the Sand." The Hokage turned cool eyes on her assistant.

"What do we do?" Shizune asked. This could be a complete disaster or a blessing in disguise.

"I think we need to make sure they have the right people coming with them." Tsunade rummaged around on the desk until she came up with a scroll and brush. "I can think of a few 'sand shinobi' who would be perfect for the job. I'm sure they won't mind vollenteering."

Shizune nodded and turned, intending to retrieve the special seals.

"Oh, Shizune?" The brunette turned to look at her teacher. "I think Gaara would make an excellent examiner. Don't you?"

Shizune grinned. "Most definitely."

0.0.0.0.0.0

Moegi stood outside the Tower and tapped her foot. She had things to do today and those boys were holding up progress. A noise from down the road caught her ear and she looked over to see Sakura with Tsunade on a bench. Someone was bent to the little girls feet, tying her shoe. Moegi smiled, at least until the man lifted his head. Her face went flat as Gaara gently touched Tsunades hand then stood and said something to Sakura that made her laugh. She felt like kicking the pink haired vixen.

A moment passed and Gaara turned to walk in her direction. He glanced her way as he passed, giving her a brief nod before moving on toward the training ground. And that was the most attention she was likely to get from him. She cursed her age, her looks, her personality and every fan girl world wide for his lack of interest in her. Not that it did any good. She was sure she'd aimed too high this time. But she just wanted a chance to get to know the real guy. Naruto had always spoken fondly of the former Jinchuriki. The man he'd described was much closer to the one she'd seen tying a two-year-olds shoe than the one that had just passed her.

She sighed and looked back at the tower door. Chuunin exams were in less than two months and a holy celebration was set at the end of the month. She'd be far too busy to worry about it soon enough.

"Oi! Moegi!"

She looked up to see Konohamaru and Udon finally exiting the Tower. Only they weren't exiting.

"Will you two hurry up! We have training and I'm not running laps because of you!"

Konohamaru cringed but waved her toward them. As she drew in closer the boys backed up.

"The Hokage has a mission for you, and she didn't sound like she was in the mood to wait. Shizune was sweating and running around like her life depended on it so it's probably important."

"She probably wants more Sake." Moegi groused and punched Konohamaru in the shoulder for good measure as she passed him to head up the stairs.

"Ouch! What do you women have? Some kind of radar that tells you where it hurts the most?!"

He and Udon walked out. Konohamaru covering his sore bite in case someone else felt the need to hit him.

0.0.0.0.0.0

"_Kankuro?" _

The light whisper pulled him up from sleep and into pain but he tried not to make a sound. The more sound he made the more pain came.

"Kankuro? Can you hear me?"

He didn't recognize the voice. He couldn't be sure if it was male or female. He couldn't tell if it was hostile or friendly. He just didn't know.

"If you can hear me, open your eyes and listen carefully. For the next month you will be tended by a young woman with a tattoo of a jade dragon on her left wrist. Remember, the dragon is on the left wrist."

Kankuro opened his eyes just a little. He could make out choppy hair somewhere between brown and blond and an eye patch flipped up from one eye to show...

"Do exactly as she tells you. Follow her orders to the letter. In one month you will be moved. Do you understand?"

Kankuro nodded slowly caught by the spiraling comas of the sharingan eye in front of him.

"Good. Now sleep and forget you ever saw me. Just remember the jade dragon on the left wrist. Do whatever she says."

Kankuros eyes began to feel heavy as he watched the spinning eye. Forcing himself to move, he lifted one broken hand and lay it over the one pressed to his chest.

"Gaara?" He sighed out ready to tumble into sleep.

"_Alive."_

He heard the word just before he slipped from consciousness.

0.0.0.0.0.0

**Okay. I think I found all the mistakes but I usually don't so sorry for the mistakes. Hope you enjoy. Review are welcome. If you wanna flame me go ahead just make sure its constructive. See ya!**


	12. Wild Nights and Breakfast Banter

**It's been brought to my attention that I might be a little too vague. I'm sorry if anything I've done has been extremely disorienting. I have meant to mislead in several areas and some things will be explained it due time but I thought, for the most part, I was conveying what I wanted seen. I was wrong and I'm sorry. I will endeavor to fix these problems as soon as possible. Thank you for all of your reviews.**

0.0.0.0.0.0

For three days he thought long and hard over the subject of chuunin exams and children's stories. Not that they had any bearing on one another but they were plaguing his mind.

"You're thinking very hard." Neji commented as he floated over the surface of the pool.

Their swimming lessons had turned into a near nightly event. Gaara could now swim well enough not to drown should he fall into overly deep water but when the time came to end the lessons... neither seemed willing. So here they were, swimming in the Hyuuga private baths in the middle of the night. Talking and sometimes laughing but otherwise simply enjoying the company. Gaara was thankful the temperature in Konoha was so temperate. Otherwise they'd have frozen long before now.

"Why is Sasuke the fox?" He asked, mind turning back to the children story Sasuke was fond of telling his boys.

"Who knows? I'd have pegged him for a snake."

Gaara decided Neji had no idea what he was talking about.

"They've asked me to proctor the chuunin exams." Gaara twisted his wrists to keep himself afloat on his back.

There was a soft sucking sound and Neji appeared at the edge of the dimly lite steam looking much more interested.

"Really? I wonder why?" He didn't sound curious. He sounded suspicious.

"I don't know. But I can make a fairly decent assumption."

Gaara had been surprised when Moegi had delivered the message. Not surprised that she'd been assigned as his director, after all he'd spent some time talking with her over various meals and group gatherings. No, it surprised him that he was being offered the position. He held the proper classifications, since his jounin status had been verified and approved through observation and testing. But none of the villagers knew him that well and few of the other ninja had more than a passing familiarity with him. He knew Ibiki Morino was kept a closely guarded secret from most of the genin, but Gaara simply stuck out in a crowd, especially since he was a foreigner. It would be near impossible from them to keep him a secret. At least from the genin here. However...

"So what are you going to do?" Neji rolled in the water until he reached the side. Seating himself in one of the open rock seats he leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

"I'm going to perform the examiners position as requested and..."

"Not what I meant." Nejis eyes slitted open and a smirk tipped one corner of his lips to crinkle his eye. "I was thinking more along the lines of what are you going to do to find out what this is all about."

Gaara frowned and moved to rest on the wall next to him. He'd considered prying to find out if his suspicions were true and if they were, what that meant for him but he'd never been the subtle or sneaky type. He could form a plan but his methods were most always forward and aggressive.

"I don't think Tsunade-sama is going to simply tell me what I want to know."

Neji sighed and lifted his head from the wall. "Think outside the box." He stood and wrapped his arms around his chest to ward off the sudden chill before leaning out to grab sponges from the side of the pool.

Gaara rolled his eyes and turned his head to take his own sponge from Nejis outstretched hand. "And what do you propose I do?"

"Ask Shikamaru for help."

Gaara sat bolt upright and blinked, stunned. "What?"

"Shake the water out of your ears. I said, ask Shikamaru." Neji began to sponge off while Gaara simply gaped at him.

"And what exactly do you think he's going to do?"

"Anything that he can get away with and that grates the Hokages nerves. The two of them have a long standing battle for supremacy. He'd love a chance to pull one over on her. Plus, he and Choji have kind of adopted you."

"Adopted." The stunned look was getting worse.

"Yah. They seem to think you're low on friends, which you are, so they've appointed themselves. I have to say they are great men to have at your back and you really couldn't ask for much better companions." _Except the ones we've already lost,_ he mentally added. "Though I'd advise you not to call Choji 'fat'. Things can get a little dangerous if you do that."

Gaara had finally regained his composure and started sponging off himself. He hadn't thought about it. Hadn't considered that these men and women he was spending his days with and fighting along side, were now his friends. They mattered to him. And it seemed, he mattered to them.

"Why don't you talk to him over breakfast tomorrow. We don't have training since the mission ran long." Neji dunked under and came up running both hands over his hair.

A small sound came from the far wall. Gaara cut his eyes to the right but didn't turn.

"I can't. I'm meeting Moegi in the morning to go over duty rosters and specialized rules."

Neji choked on a laugh.

"What?" Gaara put his own sponge to the side and finger combed his chin length, choppy hair.

"You have no idea do you?"

Gaara glared at him as he tossed his sponge on the side and stood to walk past Neji. As he grabbed for his towel he felt Neji stand and move a little closer to him. Directly behind him actually, but not touching.

"_Byakugan!" _His voice was so quiet Gaara barely heard the activation of his family bloodline.

The sound came again. Gaara turned slightly to his side as Neji leaned into his ear.

"They're here." He breathed and Gaara smiled turned feral.

"What should we do now?" He asked, turning fully to face the other man. He was now nearly completely hidden.

"Oh, I can think of sooooo many things." Neji crooned a little louder.

"Then let's play." Gaaras purred in reply.

0.0.0.0.0.0

The two Uchiha wives stared at one another over the small breakfast table both on in seiza. Izanamis legs were falling asleep.

"Where is Sasuke-kun this morning? I thought he would be joining us." Takako asked, her soft cultured voice a little strained.

Izanami watched her with cool eyes. She'd never cared for this socialite Sasuke had taken as a second wife. Probably because the woman was a gold digger and an elitist. She cared only for her own needs and spent most of her time coddling her son whom she hoped would one day rule the Uchiha clan, that is when she wasn't sucking up to their husband and interfering in his outside life.

"He took the boys out for breakfast this morning. He had some business to take care of and thought he'd like to spend a little time with them before hand. I'm going to take over in an hour." She pursed her lips against a smile as Takakos smile slipped a little. "You're welcome to join me if you like."

The young womans look wasn't at all friendly. "No, thank you. I find it hard to make the trip in my current condition."

Izanami resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Her counterpart spent so little time out these days the woman didn't even know her 'condition' was now shared by three months. Of course, if she did she'd be more than a little upset that Sasuke was still sleeping in Izanamis room, or appeared to be.

"But if you wouldn't mind, could you bring back the tea I've ordered from the shop? It should be in today."

Takako was fond of Genmaicha. The green tea mixed with non-polished rice and pop-corn looked more like soup when infused and the medics had tried to stop her from drinking it. It seemed she was using the tea as a substitute for meals since it made the drinker fill full. Takako was very conscious of her weight, feeling that proper women shouldn't let themselves go just because they were carrying children.

"Certainly." And Izanami would make a note to tell Sasuke she was drinking the fishy tasting tea again.

A silence stretched between them and the elder woman noticed the lines around Takakos eyes were gaining in depth and had been over the course of the hour. Remembering the onset of her own labor with Hiro she lowered her eyes to the womans distended belly and watched. Moments later it contracted in, trembled for a few seconds then slow loosened. Takako took a breath at that moment and lifted her cup of tea with trembling hands.

"Perhaps I could call the carriage. Then you could come with me. You look as though you might not be feeling well." She stood and walked to the screen behind her, intending to call for the carriage.

"Oh no. It's just a little stomach ache. Nothing a little tea and a good nap won't cure." Takako replied then sat her tea down abruptly.

"But I insist. I'm sure Sasuke would be very displeased to find you were not taking care of his children."

The younger womans head snapped up and her eyes narrowed. Reminding her that she meant little more than a vessel for offspring always got her riled up. Though it wasn't true, Sasuke cared for his wives in whatever way he was capable, it still got the desired affect.

"I'll get my cloak. I suggest you do the same."

Izanami allowed herself a small grin as Takakos dark head disappeared through the opposite door. If she was right, the twins would be born before nightfall and the Uchiha clan would boast it's first female in this generation.

0.0.0.0.0.0

"So why is Sasuke the fox?"

Moegi tapped a finger on the tabletop as she rolled her dango stick in her opposite hand. They were suppose to be discussing his part in the up and coming chuunin exams. Instead, she and Gaara had been laboring over Sasukes children story and why Sasuke was a fox instead of the obvious Naruto. This was going so much better than she'd planned.

"Maybe he felt he was more suited to be the fox. After all, foxes are considered demons and trickster." She smiled and lifted the dango to her lips for a bite.

Gaara didn't notice. "That implies he's playful and malicious. The man has no personality, at least that he shows. I don't see how he could be considered a trickster."

"Good point." She said as she swallowed her mouthful of food and put the stick down. "I guess the only person who really knows the answer is Sasuke. Though his first wife might have an idea."

Gaara nodded his agreement as he drank his tea but his mind turned to another question.

"How many wives does Sasuke have?"

She smiled. "Two at the moment though I doubt they'll get him to take a third." At Gaaras confused expression she continued. "He's trying to rebuild the clan. Under Tsunades advisement he took two wives to double his chances of having male heirs. He didn't expect to have two boys right off the bat."

"But he has three sons."

Moegi nodded and her smile turned soft. Just thinking about that little blond menace was enough to make anyone smile.

"Naruto was a surprise. Kiba, Shino and Hinata came back from a mission with him in tow. Said they'd found him in an orphanage. No one there knew where he came from or how old he was but those three recognized the facial features." She motioned to the side of her nose and cut her finger down and over her cheek. "They were pretty sure he was Itachis and didn't think it would be wise to leave a possible sharingan inheritor running around the Lightening Country, so they brought him back here."

She lifted her tea and took a sip. She had the red heads attention now. He had his elbows on the table, chin resting on his cupped hands. The thought that a foreign dignitary wouldn't put his elbows on the table crossed her mind but she put it away in favor of keeping those sea green eyes on her.

"The Hokage called Sasuke to the hospital and showed him the kid. I think, until he saw him, no one knew how he'd react. I mean, some people have that whole sins of the father thing going. But he took one look at the kid and nearly cried. At least that's what the boss said. Seems he and his first wife were having trouble and he was getting ready to take on his second wife in the hopes of conceiving at least one baby within the year. Now here was his saving grace sitting up on the table smiling at that room and The Hokage telling him the kid was healthy and in excellent condition."

She stopped her story to glance Gaaras way. The man was now lazily smiling at her. She was trying to decide if that was a good thing or if he was contemplating murder when he spoke up.

"Please, continue." And again the words and tone didn't match the lazy slouch he was currently in.

"Alright... oh yeah. They checked the kid out over a few days and the day Sasukes told he can take him home, Lady Tsunade drops the exploding tag on him. The kids not Itachis. Seems the psycho in question was permanently 'damaged' during a mission while he was still a leaf ninja. She found the records. Sasuke was so stunned he didn't even flinch when she started asking him did he ever have moments of lost time or was he ever given drugs that caused unconsciousness or hallucinations. He just nodded and said yeah to most of it, which had half the medics looking for someplace soft to fall. He didn't show much of a reaction until she asked him if he remembered any women being made available to him and if he'd had sex with any of them." She watched Gaara shrug.

"I'm sure that was embarrassing but not an unreasonable question."

"No. But he turned green and barely made it to the trash when she suggested that there may have been a group of test subjects and that Orochimaru might have been breeding him just in case Sasuke turned out to be less than satisfactory."

"I can see that being a problem."

"Yeah, well the screaming tirade he went on after that was pretty much how everyone found out that Sasuke doesn't like girls." She grinned when his eyes widened and he dropped his hands to the tabletop.

"Doesn't like girls?"

"Not in the least. I believe he said they would have** had** to drug him to get him anywhere near those women." She raised an eyebrow as Gaara mouthed "those women" and closed his eyes to the room. As he resumed his lazy slouch his lips pressed firmly together and began to tip up at the sides.

"Well, after his big breakdown she told him the boy was, in fact, his son and he could take him home. He was somewhere between six and nine months old and didn't have a name so they put down a birthday for him and asked Sasuke what he wanted to name him. At that moment the boss got up in his face, said 'You owe me' and preformed the Shadow Clone technique." Gaaras shoulders started shaking. "Or should I say the Multiple Shadow Clone technique." Gaara covered his face with his hands and snorted. "And that's the story of how Naruto Uchiha came to be."

Gaara dropped his head to the table and started laughing in earnest. Several people backed away from the two at the sound but Moegi just smiled. Yes, this was working out so much better than she'd planned.

0.0.0.0.0.0

"When do we get a day off?" Shikamaru whined as he picked through his grilled fish.

"One week." Choji plowed through his fish and raw eggs then moved on to the natto.

"I need a drink." Ino mumbled, twirling her chopsticks through her miso.

"In one week you can have a drink. Bring your husband, he can have one too." Choji offered between mouthfuls of rice.

"Why don't you just invite everyone and have a party?" Ino smiled as Chojis eyes brightened and Shikamaru groaned.

"I suppose it's going to be at my place again." The shadow weilder complained. "So troublesome."

"That's six and it's not even noon." Choji grinned at his teammate and closest friend.

"Well, there's Neji. Why not invite him and get him to bring Gaara?" Ino pointed out the long haired jounin as he passed the front entrance.

"Oi, Neji!" Choji bellowed.

Neji turned toward the beefy voice and raised a brow before walking inside.

"Party. Naras place. Bring Gaara. And Sake." Ino ticked everything off on her fingers.

"Why am I bringing Gaara? Why can't Gaara bring himself?"

Ino just smiled while Choji cleared his throat and Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"You were _not _there last night!" He glared at Ino. "Were you?"

When the blond started laughing Neji groaned. Was it possible for this too be more embarrassing?

"We knew it was going to be good but none of us would have _dreamed_ of the show you two put on." Ino crowed between gaffs of laughter.

"Had we known there were fifteen of you on the opposite wall we wouldn't have done it!" Nejis cheeks pinked.

"Why did you do it?" Shikamaru asked curiously.

"Hinata, Hanabi and two of the main house staff have been watching us for the last two and a half weeks. The 'show' was meant for them."

Shikamaru looked at Ino who'd finally managed to stop laughing but couldn't stops smiling.

"What was the show?"

Neji turned a brighter shade of red as Ino smiled slyly in his direction.

"I wonder if you're blush is head to toe too?" Neji growled at her. "Fine, fine. The boys made a show of being rather 'comfortable' with one another. The steam made it so you could see much but with the noise they were making everyones imagination was running overtime. Then the steam cleared a little and Gaara wasn't there anymore. Everyone moved to the other side of the wall to see if we could find him and there we find Hinata, Hanabi and a couple of other girls staring red faced at a now naked red head who's towel had somehow slipped it's knot."

Choji choked on a bit of cabbage and Shikamaru swallowed to hold back the laughter.

"Myself and at least fifteen other females can confirm that he is a natural red head." Ino leaned back in her chair with a sigh.

"They were in my blind spot. I didn't see them until it was too late. By then, Gaara was already out of the bath and then his towel was too heave and slipped off." Neji sighed in defeat, looking around to see if anyone else had heard.

"Gaaras blush is a little brighter than his hair. It was a nice combination." Ino crooned.

"He's going to kill you." Shikamaru shook his head at his demented teammate.

"Nah. He's going to kill Ankos genin team. They were the ones selling tickets at the gate."

0.0.0.0.0.0

**Well, I didn't get as far as I wanted to in this day so I'll have to pick up the rest of the day in the next chapter. Thats alright. I'll figure it out. I know I haven't answered a lot of questions but don't worry. They're coming. I just hope you enjoy. Reviews are always welcome.**


	13. Confessions

**Hope everyone enjoyed the last chapter. I don't own Naruto, and I've said it so many times it's getting old.**

0.0.0.0.0.0

Sasuke walked into Labor and Deliver and stopped when he heard the blood curdling scream. Shizune winced walking out of the doors to meet him.

"Shouldn't they have knocked her out by now?" The Uchiha asked speaking of his laboring wife.

"Tsunade isn't in with her." Sasuke raised a brow and Shizune grimaced. "Ino is."

Sasuke blinked twice then nodded. Ino would let her take the pain much longer than Tsunade would. But then Ino had a little more patience. A very little more. He almost felt sorry for his wife.

"How much longer?" Not that anyone could tell him. He knew these things happened in their own time and had been warned that twins might come early but take longer.

"I'm not sure. She came in four hours ago and is progressing rather quickly. Since she's already had one child these should come just a little more quickly." They both cringed again as more screaming and now crying came from behind the doors. "Of course, it would move faster if they'd just put her under." Shizune rubbed her sore ears.

Sasuke nodded once more and looked to the benches lining the walls. The doors opened and a white robed medic stuck his head out.

"Shizune-sama, we are in need of assistance." The man looked flustered and kept pulling at his ears as if to clear them.

Sighing Shizune made for the door. "I don't understand how one woman can be so quiet in life and scream her fool head off for this long over a few cramps."

"She's not a kunoichi. She's simply a nobles daughter. She wasn't taught to deal with physical pain." Sasuke explained. Unlike his first wife, Takako had no tolerance for any kind of pain, only the ability to offer it.

"Damn shame for the rest of us." Shizune mumbled then opened the door wide to the sound of crying and screaming.

Before the door closed Sasuke could hear his wife sobbing words, "It's not worth this." He was starting to agree with her.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Neji and Gaara walked sedately through the streets toward the academy. They were to meet with Shikamaru who was setting up for his new position as academy teacher. Neji had mentioned Gaaras situation to the shadow ninja who'd been confused for a moment then throughly intrigued and more than willing to help out in their quest to find the truth behind Gaaras current assignment. Of course, they'd also offered to bring all the sake for the party he was throwing and to make sure Hinata showed up. Neji hadn't said a word about the personal invitation but his eyes were dancing with unspoken thoughts on the subject.

"So, how did your date with Moegi go?"

Gaara frowned and looked over at his stoic friend... friend... the word still sounded strange. Even in his mind.

"That bad?" Neji asked when Gaaras frown only deepened.

"It wasn't a date." The red head shook himself and lengthened his stride to out pace the man.

Neji only smirked and walked faster.

"What did you talk about then?" Neji continued.

He thought about it. They'd discussed that children's story of Sasukes and his family dynamic, Sakura and her daughter, the difference in climate between the desert and Konoha, the chuunin exams, her teammates and their relationship with Naruto Uzumaki, and a number of other insignificant topics. Gaara stopped in the middle of the road and stared, wide eyed, at the street before him.

"Great Kazekage! It was a date!"

Neji started to laugh while Gaara groaned and dropped his face into his hands.

"Stop laughing, this isn't funny!"

"Oh, but I think it is." Neji gripped his shoulder and gave him a push to get him moving.

"She's 15. Little more than a child."

"She's of age and most likely tricked you. You have to watch out for her. She's a fine kunoichi and more than capable of taking down her target. Regardless what or who the target is."

"So you're saying she set this up?" Gaara lifted his head to the taller man.

"I'm sure she was asked to tell you about your appointment. I'm sure she was even asked to explain the details to you." Neji narrowed his eyes as an evil smiled tipped his lips. "But no one has ever been given a personal guide for the exams unless they were a dignitary or liaison."

"Maybe I'm still being treated as a foreigner." Gaara stated hopefully.

Neji turned away with a shrug. "Possible." He didn't say unlikely. The poor guy wasn't taking this well. "Is she so bad?"

"She's too young." Gaara stated frankly. "I'm nearly 20 and she's only 15. I'm well aware she's of age but it just feels wrong somehow."

"Is it the age, the distance between ages or the fact that you don't date that bothers you... wait, what do you mean you're nearly 20?" Neji turned his now frowning face on the man attempting not to mope next to him.

"I turn 20 next month. And it's not the difference in age. It's the difference in maturity. If she were 16 it wouldn't be so bad. She talks a lot but is an excellent story teller." He mused.

Neji shook his head. "We all thought you were younger. And whats the difference between 15 and 16. One year as a teen isn't much different than another."

"The differences are not just physical, their mental. A person grows a lot in that one year." Gaara blinked a few times before looking back at Neji. "Why would you think I was younger?"

Neji shook his head at the shorter, more delicate featured, red head and looked back toward the road. "I haven't a clue. And you're thinking in terms of men not women as far as age. Men mature more slowly than women. At fifteen she's a lot more mature than _you_ were at that age."

Gaara was silent for a moment as they walked. "I notice you didn't include yourself in that 'you'."

"Why would I?"

He considered arguing the point. He really did. But it seemed a waste of breath and he wasn't one to waste energy on inane things.

"Alright. So you're saying I'm over exaggerating the age issue and since I've already been conned into one date I should just keep going with it?" Gaara raised a brow then shook his head. "I don't think so. I'll simply talk to her at our next meeting then speak with the Hokage about the situation and the exams and..."

"Humiliate her in front of her superiors and peers, not to mention breaking her rather impressionable heart."

"If she were not so young she wouldn't be so impressionable."

Neji whistled as they stepped inside the academy grounds and rubbed his forehead protector absently.

"Wow. With an attitude like that, you could have been a Hyuuga."

Gaara stalled at the doors. Neji simply walked inside, leaving the stunned shinobi behind.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Sakura tipped the water can until a sprinkle landed on the cluster of flowers around the large headstone. This was the last one and the hardest since so many different flowers grew here. And so many weeds. A light breeze tossed her hair and she lifted a grubby gloved hand to push it out of her face.

"What's up, Forehead? Need any help?"

Sakura looked back to see Ino moving along the rows of headstones toward her. The blond looked a little frazzled but in good spirits. She smiled at her long time friend and rival and patted the ground beside her.

"Have a seat, Pig. I could use some help with these weeds. I have no idea why so many of them grow here."

Ino dropped cross legged to the ground and pulled a linen out of her pocket.

"You've got something right here."

Ino slapped her hand to her own forehead and handed Sakura the linen. The pink haired woman rolled her eyes and wiped the smudge from her face then threw the scrap of cloth back at her friend.

"What's got you smiling so hard today?"

Ino only grinned wider. "Sasukes twins are here. I assisted this morning and just got done. Damn but that woman can scream."

Sakura simply nodded.

"It was two girls, not one of each like they were told. I think Tsunade would have ripped through the medic contingent if Sasuke hadn't been so happy about it." Ino shifted for a more comfortable seat watching Sakura put a little more effort than was needed into pulling up a small patch of weeds.

"Less talk. More weeding." The pink haired medic grunted.

"But you know the only reason I come here is to talk. And to steal easy jobs from the pitiful little genin. It's always fun to take their jobs when I'm too lazy to do anything harder. Shikamaru had the right idea all along. We should have been listening."

Again, Sakura rolled her eyes.

"You know, you don't have to do this. Ebisus group are in the tower right now bemoaning the fact that we do this job for them." Ino watched as Sakura lowered her hand to a bundle of weeds and gripped the root, a sad smile on her face.

"A shame no one wanted to spend that much time with him when he was alive." She yanked on the plant and it pulled from the ground with a harsh ripping sound.

"You know that isn't entirely true. A lot of people respected and cared for him a great deal." Ino started in on another set of weeds.

"It wasn't enough. He fought for them, for this village, for years and they never gave him credit for the accomplishment. Sure the shinobi were always encouraging and supportive but even they were wary. Especially after he opened the last seal. But the elders, the villagers... He was their Hokage! For one year he held his dream in his hand and this village in his heart and arms..." Tears gathered in her eyes and she tried to hold them back. He'd always told her she cried too easily. Damn him for being right.

"Sakura..."

"He had to die for them to appreciate just who he was and what they meant to him." She swiped at the tears on her face and smudged more dirt on her cheeks. "Do you know, I still hear some of them whispering. Even now, with a peace gained by the blood of so many of our friends, they still whisper and accuse."

Ino sighed and dropped on her back in the flowers. So many grew on Naruto Uzumakis grave they'd simply given up pulling them and now weeded the patch instead. In the sky the clouds passed by unhindered by the trials of life. Shikamaru really did have it right. For just a little while it would be so nice to be a cloud.

"You know the crowd is fickle and more prone to gossip than truth. If it sounds juicy or off color they'll take it over something good any day. The people who count know who he was and what this village meant to him. We are not ashamed. And it's because we protect his memory that the gossips can only whisper in corners." She reached out a hand to her friend and rubbed the goose bumps from her skin. "Go home and spend a little time with Tsunade. She misses her mommy when she's not there. I'll go tell those poor genin this job is theirs. They'll be thrilled! They may even do Kiba, Lee and Akamarus over again just for the honor!"

Sakura sniffed then laughed softly. "Alright. You win... this time."

"Yes! And Yamanaka wins again!" Ino pumped a fist in the air then sat up and helped Sakura, who was yet again rolling her eyes, collect her tools. "And besides. I have to tell you the latest gossip about Gaara."

Sakura groaned. "At least it can't be nearly as bad as the bath house show."

Ino pulled a face and tapped her index fingers together. "Weeeeeell... That all depends on what you consider bad."

0.0.0.0.0.0

_Knock, Knock, Knock_

"Shiga? You home?"

A man with one smiling eye and sand brown hair looked down at the Suna station guard.

"Yes. I am."

"Oh, sorry man." The guard took in the gray tunic and loose pants most sand shinobi worn in their homes and Icha Icha book. "Sorry I had to interrupt your afternoon but you got a call from the tower."

"Oh? Well, then..." He put the book on a small table by the door. "I'll go and get ready"

When the guard didn't leave, Shiga raised a brow.

"I'm sorry, but my orders were to wait and escort you up personally."

Shiga nodded, "Then do come in." he opened the door and called to his wife. "We have company!"

The guard stepped inside and stood at the entrance. A young woman with soft blue hair and a beauties face peeked around the corner from the kitchen.

"Would you like something to drink?" She asked with a sweet smile.

"Oh, no thank you, ma'am."

"Then I'll leave you to your work." And she disappeared around the corner once more pulling at her sleeve to hide the dragon tattoo on her left wrist.

Moments later the two men stepped from the small house and started down the quiet road.

"I can't believe your wife really lets you read that crap." The man pointed at the book now tucked in Shigas vest pocket.

"It's not crap. It's popular literature and very riveting. And my wife is very flexible."

"Sure wish mine was that flexible."

Shiga smiled.

0.0.0.0.0.0

The room was quiet. Takako lay sleeping in the bed against the far wall while Sasuke sat rocking two pink bundles. Lady Tsunade stood quietly in the doorway, not wanting to disturb the rare moment as the former missing-nin stared awestruck at his new baby daughters. Yawns and soft clicks came from the two blankets and at each one a tiny crinkle would show around the mouth of his otherwise perfectly smooth face. It always gave the Hokage pleasure to see a father who truly loved his children.

"Are you going to stand in the door all day?" Sasukes smooth voice rolled softly through the room.

Tsunade gave a derisive "un" before closing the door quietly behind her. "You're going to wake your wife." She pointed out.

"Not a chance. I knocked her out myself."

The blond narrowed her eyes and moved to stand over the contented Uchiha. He simply looked back at her. No remorse showing on his face.

"I thought I told you to stop using your sharingan on my patients."

"She asked. Apparently the pain was just too great." His voice sounded only a little disgusted. "Besides. I wanted a little time for myself." He turned his attention back to the little girls in his arms.

Tsunade shook her head not truly angry. She'd have probably asked him to do it herself if the woman were still awake and moaning.

"Her family will be here by nightfall." Sasuke continued. "I'll be too deep in political protocol and host duties to spend any time with them for the next three days."

"So tell them to go home. You hate them anyway. And you can send her back with them." She pointed behind her at the prone woman on the bed.

She was graced with one of his stunning smiles. The one that showed just a hint of his perfect white teeth. Yeah, he was an ass but an honest one.

"Do you have their names?" She was pretty sure he had one but wasn't sure if he'd thought of another. The twins were suppose to be one boy and one girl. She needed to have a talk with her medic about the mistake.

"No. I don't. I'll have to think about it. I honestly hadn't expected this."

The child in his right arm reached up and touched the tip of his nose with her fingers. Tsunade watched his eyes start to shine then the door opened a crack.

"I'm sorry. Am I interrupting?" A softly lulling male voice called from just behind the glass.

Tsunade looked up and waved a hand for the man to enter. He was nearly as tall as Kakashi though not as thin. His sandy blond hair danced in fly-away spikes over and around his headband. As Sasuke looked up from his charges into the faded baby blue eyes of his lover and smiled softly, she wondered where this man had come from and thanked him for his perfect timing.

"I'll leave you to them. Let the desk know if you need anything." Before either could utter a thank you she narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth. "And you may _not _put your wife under again with the sharingan. If she needs medical attention or a good swift kick in the ass, call the desk."

Sasuke stared her down but relented when his friend lay a comforting hand on his arm and reminded him not to waste time. Tsunade nodded and walked into the hall, looking back in time to see blond bend to the new father and place a gentle kiss to his the top of his dark head.

"Is she still sleeping?"

The Hokage cut her eyes to the elder of Sasukes wives and nodded before closing the door completely.

"She'll be out for a little while longer, thanks to your husband." Izanami tipped up the corner of one lip and Tsunade grunted. "Kouhei is with him now. They were both girls."

The young woman actually looked shocked then very very pleased.

"Two girls? Really?! That's... wonderful!" She smiled broadly then looked at the door. "I have to go and tell the boys. Naruto and Hiro will be so pleased!" She looked to the door again.

"I'll let him know you were here." Tsunade sighed.

Izanami took a moment to regain her composure then bowed. "Thank you."

"No problem." The dark haired girl turned quickly back the way she'd come but stopped as Tsunade called back to her. "Izanami-kun? I've requested you for one weeks overnight duty next month. I understand your pregnant and this may be a problem for you..."

Izanami shook her head and stood straight before the Hokage. "No, Hokage-sama. It will be no trouble. I'm honored you chose me."

"Oh, it wasn't me. You can thank Sakura Haruno for it." The girl looked surprised making Tsunade grin. "She may not like you but she knows talent when she sees it. I look forward to testing you myself."

Izanami drew in a deep breath and looked boldly to the older woman. "I look forward to the challenge, Hokage-sama."

0.0.0.0.0.0

"So you think Sunas bringing in their genin too, huh?" Shikamaru propped his feet on the desk in front of him and looked at the two men standing before it.

Gaara had told him about his appointment. And a considerable amount about what happened in Suna. None of it had been terribly pleasant news. In fact, much of it was disturbing at best. And he agreed with the red head. Something more was going on than the little he'd been told. It hadn't skipped his notice that quite a few of the village shinobi hadn't been seen in more than a month.

"Yes. And I have no doubt bringing the genin is not all they are doing. They infiltrated the village months, maybe even a year before they took over. They don't mind taking their time and laying ground work. If they know I'm here..."

Shikamaru frowned. "If they're as meticulous as you've said, they've most likely already lay out some ground work here. The chuunin exams may be a scout mission."

"Or a chance to drop a plant in unnoticed." Neji offered.

Shikamaru nodded his agreement. "I'm sure the Hokage has already considered all of this. But why wouldn't she explain it to you?"

"That's what we hoped you'd help us find out?" Neji dropped a bottle of very fine Sake on the desk. Shikamaru whistled low.

"Nice bribe." The shadow wielder picked up the bottle and turned it in his hands.

"We aim to please." Neji leaned a hip against the desk as Gaara turned to stare out of the classroom windows.

"I would have gone back the day I was able to walk if not for the threat I was given before they dropped me to die in the woods. The people of Suna have suffered enough. Whether because of their ignorance or my inattention, they do not deserve to suffer more." Gaara looked from the window back to the two men now watching him. "But I do remember the faces of the men who betrayed us all and I still want my brother back."

Shikamaru nodded but kept eye contact. "You have to realize he might be dead by now."

"He's not dead." Gaara stated simply and looked back to the window. Kurenai was now on the grounds with several children. He recognized three as Tsunade, Naruto and Hiro. He didn't recognize the other two.

"What is it you hope to accomplish?" Shikamaru stood and walked from behind the desk.

"What I want and what I will gain are two very different things. I've already lost one home. I will not lose another. I'm willing to give the Hokage and this village any support they need but I will not be kept in the dark."

"The council won't go for sharing information." Neji interjected solemnly.

"No they won't. But I have a feeling the council may be in the dark about a few things." Shikamaru lifted the books from his desk as he mused. "I'll get up with you at the end of the week. We'll discuss what I find out before we get very very drunk."

Gaara smiled as the children chased one another around a tree then drop in a large pile on top of Naruto. "I don't drink."

"You do now." The shadow ninja smirked and walked out of the door.

Neji pushed away from the desk and walked to stand beside his solemn teammate. He saw the children now running along the short wall as Kurenai tried to calm an overly emotional Tadao.

"I'm not sure I trust him."

Neji looked back to Gaara as the man spoke softly to the window in front of him.

"Temari always told me 'If you can't trust anyone else, you can trust that Nara brat.' But I've trusted so many people and been let down so many times."

"Do you trust your sister?" Neji reached up to rest a hand on Gaara shoulder. When the red head didn't pull away he let it rest there.

"She saved me. I don't know how but I know she saved me. I keep having this dream. She's screaming for me to help her and she's frightened but I know it's not right. She wasn't screaming when they executed her. She spat in the swordsman's face right before he... Kankuro was so still. I know he could hear but he was just so still." Neji squeezed his shoulder. "I was screaming. I couldn't control the sand. I couldn't even walk on my own. I'd been beaten and cut for hours before they dragged me to watch. I can't remember ever being that frightened before. Not since I was a child."

"Shikamaru will find what you're looking for. And if you want to go back and find your brother we _will_ go with you."

Gaara turned to look at the tall man standing next to him. A man he now called friend.

"I have tried to see this with a shinobi's eyes. I have tried not to care. I can't."

Nejis smile was small and soft and made his pale eyes glow. "If you could, you wouldn't be human."

0.0.0.0.0.0

Kankuro heard the rattle of the keys, the rusty hinges open and close, the soft brush of boots on dusty stones. He tense, ready for the pain. There was quiet and a small rustling of clothes before a soft blue light penetrated his lids. He crack his eyes open to watch that light spill into the room and felt the genjutsu take affect then a figure moved into his line of site.

"Kankuro." The voice was low and feminine.

He had to swallow twice before he could speak.

"You don't have to use genjutsu here. They like to hear me scream." He snarked.

The woman chuckled low then sat next to him on the bed. The movement hurt and he gritted his teeth to keep the pain sound in. The blue light shifted into green and Kankuro looked down to see the tattoo of a dragon softly glowing on the womans left wrist. A memory tickled at his thought and he concentrated to catch it but all he could gather was that this person was to be trusted.

"The genjutsu is to make them think you _are_ being tortured." She lifted a hand to his face and he flinched back. "I'm going to heal you as much as I can. We have one month to have you ready to move. In your current condition travel isn't possible."

The puppeteer looked back toward the cell doors.

"All they hear are your pained screams. When they see you next you will look like a man tortured to the brink. This seal..." she pointed to the dragon on her wrist. "will fade as the jutsus stored inside are used."

Kankuro swallowed and looked over the womans blue hair and lovely face. The brown shinobi clothing didn't do justice to his savior.

"What do I do?"

She smiled and he relaxed, letting her touch his tender face.

"The bruises will stay for now. I'm going to take care of the more serious injuries. You only need to be still and let the healing work."

He sighed and relaxed a little more as the healing jutsu filtered into his system and eased some of the pain.

"They'll only recreate the damage." He whispered

"Leave that to me."

He nodded, his eyes growing heavy as his muscles relaxed.

"Where's Gaara?" His heavy voice slurred.

"He's safe. Sleep now."

His body heeded her words almost instantly.

Outside the cell the guards turned to laugh and call out to the ninja they'd just let into the cell as another blood curdling scream rent the air.

"Hey! Don't kill him! The boss wants him alive!"

"That woman sure does love her work."

"Maybe next time she'll let us watch."

The screaming grew louder and both men looked at one another before falling once more into gales of laughter.

0.0.0.0.0.0

**I swear these things just keep getting longer. I'm afraid I might be spoiling you people. Thanks to Kaotic312 for the advice. I hope the changes I've made work for you. And thanks to all who have reviewed. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**


	14. Favors

**I'm on a roll. Don't own Naruto.**

0.0.0.0.0.0

"Honey! I'm home!"

The door slammed behind Kakashi as he lifted the collar of his shirt to wipe the sand from his eye. He'd not been in the desert during a sand storm in ages. He'd forgotten what a pain they were.

"Even got sand in my shorts." He muttered as Yugao came around the corner.

"What did they say?" She asked and walked to the mat set up in a small dining corner.

"I am to accompany the genin contingent to the Hidden Leaf Village. My support of our youth is commendable and they are pleased that I was willing to leave my wife behind to perform such an important task."

She nodded and pulled out a small message scroll.

"How many of the original council members are there?"

"Two." He gave her names and descriptions which she dutifully wrote on the scroll.

"Units one and four reported the gates west gates have been sealed. They're working on the problem now. Someone also noticed a few of the vendors haven't been showing up for the last two weeks. A group has moved in to deal with the rumors and work up the story. By the time this is over with it will look like this guy took out half the village." Yugao lifted the brush and dipped it once again to add another note.

"By the time they figure it out it will be too late." Kakashi ran his hand through his short choppy locks.

"I still can't believe you cut it."

He shrugged and looked over the scroll. "How's Kankuro?"

She stopped writing for a moment and looked him in the eye. He tensed as she put the brush back in the well.

"When I went in today he was running a high fever. It took longer than usual to get it under control."

Kakashi frowned. "Will the seal hold out to the removal date?"

She nodded. "I've modified my schedule but this will most likely happen again." She sighed. "It looks like one of his former students is tattooing his face markings on in the traditional manner. Only they're using fewer needles so it takes longer."

Kakashis one eye closed for a moment before he nodded for her to continue.

"Watching him daily I can make sure the wounds don't go septic but I can't stop the high fevers and it's possible he could develop a serious infection."

"What's the best way to stop this kid from continuing?"

"Aside from killing him I don't think there is one. And sadly, he _would_ be missed. He's a puppeteer and apparently one of the better ones." Yugao shook her head in disgust as she lifted the brush and completed the message.

"Then we do what we can but under no circumstances are you to allow yourself to be captured. If the seal fails before the time lapses we will simply have to take our chances and hope he's strong enough to survive."

She nodded and rolled the scroll. "I'll warn him of the eventuality."

"Good." Kakashi reached for the scroll and preformed the hand signs to seal it.

"Do you have sentry duty tonight?"

"No." He tucked the scroll into his jacket and readjusted his forehead protector. "I'll deliver this then come directly back here."

"You want ramen tonight?" She asked with a small smile.

Kakashi sighed. They'd been here over a month and almost every night they ate ramen. It shamed him to think he'd been ruined for nearly any other food. But to be honest, all of the really good food vendors had already been moved.

"Yes, please."

She laughed at him as he hurried out the door.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Gaara sat, hands folded, at the long table in Shikamarus mothers dining room. Shikamaru sat on the opposite side. The very fine bottle of expensive sake sat between them flanked by two cups.

"You were right. Suna has issued its formal entrance in the chuunin exams."

Gaara nodded. He'd been almost certain before, but it was nice to have proof. He waited to be angry at the maneuver on the Hokages part but anger never came. He'd spent the better part of the last week thinking it all over. Trying to imagine what he would do if he were in her position right now. He'd come to the conclusion he wouldn't have told himself much either. In fact, he was certain he'd have held back a considerable amount. The thought that there was so much more going on that he wasn't privy to grated at him, but there was little he could do with the information if he did have it. Still, having a little knowledge of why would make him more capable of playing his part and be a sap to his already bruised ego.

"There were a lot of coded documents in her office I didn't dare try and take and a lot more medical charts. I hadn't thought she brought those to her office but I don't have enough medical knowledge to get any useful information off of them."

Gaara frowned. It seemed odd for patient medical information to be in the Hokages office. But she was a medic and he had, on many occasions, found himself far too deep in village business to deal with anything that wasn't directly in front of him.

"I did find a mission statement that looked promising but Shizune came back early and I had to make a quick exit. I'll be able to go back in two days from now…"

"There's no need." Gaara forestalled his argument with a raised hand. "I appreciate your efforts more than you know and as much as I'd like to know more, it isn't worth you getting into trouble. Especially trouble of this magnitude."

Shikamaru stared down the table at him for a long time before nodded his agreement. Then silently promised his self he would go back for his own curiosities sake.

"Well, if that's the end of that then I say we get a head start." Shikamaru reached for the bottle and cups at the center of the table.

"I really don't drink. I haven't had anything stronger than tea in more than three years." Gaara explained a little warily.

"You a mean drunk?" The shadow ninja asked.

"Not that I know of." Gaara replied. "I've been told I'm friendly enough."

"Oh, then you have nothing to worry about. Now drink up." He poured two cups and slid one to Gaara who touched the cup with light finger tips.

"When will the others arrive?" Gaara asked his cup.

"Hum…" Shikamaru downed the contents of his cup and filled it again. "About two hours." Gaaras eyes flew up and widened. Shikamaru raised his cup in salute. "Now drink. If we're lucky the girls will take pity on us and we'll get soft laps to rest our heads on."

An image of his first night out with Kankuro came to mind. He tossed back the cup to help swallow the lump now forming in his throat and winced at the bite. When he opened his eyes his cup was full again. He stared at it a moment, shrugged and downed the next.

0.0.0.0.0.0

"Gai?" Chiharu turned in her lovers arms and nudged his tanned chest. "Gai?"

The normally green suited shinobi cracked one eye open and slid it to the woman next to him.

"Why are you still awake, Chiharu? You're not satisfied?" He slipped a hand under the sheet and she slapped it away while he started to smile.

"I'm fine and you know it." She lay her head on his chest, listening to the steady heartbeat beneath his skin and bones. "What do you want for your birthday?"

His hand dropped heavily on her head and she sighed as he smoothed it through her hair. He was always so heavy handed but so gentle.

"You know what I want. I ask for it every year." Gai actually whispered.

Chiharu sighed. He did ask every year and every holiday and nearly every time he walked into the room.

"I'm sorry, Gai. That is not a gift."

"You are the only one who thinks so." He placed his hand under her chin and lifted her head to look at him. "Would it be so bad? Being my wife?"

She rolled on top of her long time friend and companion to place a gentle kiss on his lips. "You know I can not. No one will accept me as your wife. My background…"

Gai touched a finger to her lips. "Is in the past and there it will stay. No one will object to you as my wife. You have lived as a wife for years. Why not make it a reality? Share this life with me, Chiharu! Stop holding me at arms length."

A tear dropped from the tip of her lashes and she tried to kiss the questions from his lips but he held her still. His mouth growing hard as he waited.

"I will not sully your name. As your lover a former tea girl and orphan can be accepted but as your wife… I swore to you that I would give you my heart, all of my love, any children you desired. But I can't give you this. I'm sorry, Gai."

His eyes cooled and she dropped her head to his chest before that coolness penetrated some part of her she didn't want to look too closely at. After a moment she felt his sigh and the slight tension start to drain from his body.

"I do not wish to argue tonight."

"Nor do I." She croaked around her tears.

He lifted her head once again and frown. "Ah now, don't cry beautiful. I didn't mean to upset you."

"I know." She squeaked out and tried to hide her face again.

"I am sorry, Chiharu. I simply want to love you forever the way you should be loved. I want to make you only mine."

Her smile was soft and watery but no less beautiful. "I will always be only yours."

"Some day you will say yes." He whispered again whispered softly before pulling her down to rest on his firm chest.

As her eyes drifted closed she prayed that one day he would get his wish. And that she was the one it give it to him.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Kurenai opened the door to a hassled but smiling Sakura.

"Thanks for watching her. I know you have a lot of things to do and I…"

Kurenai cut in as her son sailed into the room and took little Tsunades hand, dragging her back out with him.

"Hidekatsu! Don't be so rough with her! She's smaller than you!"

Sakura laughed and the older woman turned to see the pink haired medic shaking her head.

"I think she could jump from the water tower and not break a single bone. She's indestructible."

"They are never indestructible but they do put the rest of us to shame."

Both women contemplated the ravages of age in silence then nodded.

"So, where's the party?"

Sakura looked sheepishly toward the clock on the wall. "Shikamarus. I'm due there in an hour." She shrugged. "Nejis bringing the sake so who was I to argue."

Kurenai whistled low at the thought of expensive sake in the hands of 19 year olds as a solid thud came from the back of the house.

"Well, have a good time. I'll try and send her back in one piece."

"I'll see you tomorrow morning." Sakura waved and pulled the door closed at her back.

Something that sounded like breaking glass then a high pitched squeal had Kurenai turning back to the hall and her son's room. Hopefully she'd be able to keep her promise to Sakura and send her daughter back with little to no permanent physical damage.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Neji shuffled the heavy box in his arms but couldn't free a hand.

"Hinata, get the door would you."

Hinata stood just behind him chewing her lip and eyeing the door with trepidation.

"You said he was here already, right?"

Neji rolled his eyes and leaned against a nearby tree. He lifted one knee to rest the foot on the trunk and sat the box on his level thigh. He sighed as the weight left his shoulders then turned a more irritated look on his cousin.

"You can't avoid him forever, you know. If you'd not been spying on us you wouldn't be in this situation."

Hinata, her mind returning to the Hyuuga baths and her less than formal encounter with the former foreign dignitary, went from pale pink to bright red in record time. Her eyes widened before she turned her back on her older cousin in an attempt to hide what she'd been thinking.

"I'll never be able to look at him again…. without picturing him…. well… you know…"

"Naked." Neji offered.

"YES!" Hinata wailed into her hands.

"Hokage save us." Neji muttered then hefted the box back into his over tired arms.

"Fine. So you picture him nude. Just close your eyes and open the door. I won't make you stay if you're that uncomfortable." He grunted and pushed away from the tree. "Just hurry up. These bottles are extremely heavy."

Hinata straightened her back, turned and walked directly into the door. She bounced back, rubbing vigorously at her nose as Neji closed his eyes, shook his head then started to chuckle.

"That really hurt, Neji! I think I have a nose bleed." Hinata wiped at her nose. Her hand came away red.

Neji continued to chuckle as the purple haired kunoichi leaned her head back and pinched her nose closed. She groped for the door with her free hand and pulled it open.

"But the irony is just too much. You're the heir to the Hyuuga main family and carry the byakugan, and yet you run face first into a door." He shouldered past her, looking down into her now narrowed eyes.

"You're never going to let me live this down, are you?" She asked in a nasally voice as her fingers still pinched off the blood flow.

"No." He smirked and lugged the box inside. "Shikamaru? Where do you want…?"

Hinata closed the door and turned to look at Neji. He was staring into an open doorway. His face showed his confusion.

"Neji? What is it?" She came around him and looked into the room.

Shikamaru was sitting at the far end of the dining table, facing the two of them. He was listing dangerously to the left and smiling down the table at another man shaped lump. Hinata recognized the red hair and looked to Neji in alarm.

"Than man…" Shikamaru slurred, "Can not hold his alcohol." He tipped dangerously then righted himself almost as an afterthought.

Neji took note of the empty sake bottle tipped on its side in the center of the table before he turned to put the case down next to the wall. After rotating his shoulders a few times and cracking his neck he walked back to the table and grabbed the back of Gaaras hair.

"Neji!" Hinata screamed, fearing what would happen if Gaara got angry over Neji somewhat rough treatment.

But the sand wielder was passive as his head was slowly lifted from the table. Both Hyuugas watched in awe as Gaaras cheeks peeled away from the drool stained surface to show a cherry cheeked grin and foggy sea green eyes.

"Heeelooo!" Gaara sung cheerily and lifted only his fingers from the table top to wiggle in a wave of greeting.

Hinata dropped her hand from her nose, which still had finally stopped bleeding to gape at her cousin's teammate. She'd never seen him smile. If you could call that a smile.

"Well," Neji said as she slowly lowered Gaaras head back to the table. "It looks like tonight should be very interesting.

0.0.0.0.0.0

"Ino, you look fine."

Fudon gave her a small push to get her moving. They were stopped on the street just down from the Nara home. Ino had spent the better part of an hour simply trying to make her pony tail to sit perfect center on her head and now they were in danger of being late. He knew the party was informal and her friends wouldn't mind but he always hated to run behind.

"You love me, right?" He asked as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Of course I do! What kind of stupid question is that?" Ino tossed her hair and checked her face one last time in her hand held compact.

"I was just wondering. You put more effort into dressing tonight than you did for our wedding."

"We eloped." She cut her eyes at him.

"Details, details."

"Fudo, you know I love you. I GAVE UP a traditional, attention grabbing wedding to be with you. And if I haven't told you every day with words I've most certainly told you every night with deeds. Let's not also forget the special 'care packages' on missions."

Fudo smiled. He loved those care packages. He nearly killed Kotetsu the day the older ninja snagged a couple of pictures from it.

"So why so much prep tonight? Don't think I haven't heard about the sold out Hyuuga-Sabaku peep show."

She at least had the grace to blush but she didn't look the least bit repentant.

"Because a girl has to look good when showing off her husband to foreign dignitaries, and I heard all about the Drunken Anko Table Dance, so don't act all innocent with me."

"I admit to nothing."

They turned to one another with matching smirks.

"So you're here to make me look good?" He asked while toying with a lock of hair by her ear.

"Baby, I always make you look good. Tonight you'll look like a god." She winked, reminding him of the origin of his name as she plucked at his vest.

They're looks went from playful to heated in a matter of moments and, as with almost every function they attended, they got sidetracked.

"Fifteen minutes late won't be a big deal, right?" Ino asked.

"I'll give you twenty and I'll take the heat." He pulled her toward a nearby back yard and both figures disappeared into the darkness.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Kankuro lay as still and quiet as possible while Yugao tended the swollen marks on his face. He'd developed an infection as she'd thought he would. The pain was bearable but only just. The good news was it was treatable. the bad news was that he would most likely get another since the tattoos were only half finished and they could not move him from the cell.

"It's been suggested that we kill the man who's doing this to you. I have urged against it but I'm beginning to wonder if it needs to be done. If he'll do this to a friend I can only image what he'd do to an enemy." Yugao pressed the soaked strips over the raised purple tented flesh and began the task of resetting another finger.

"He wasn't always this way." Kankuro told her through barely moving lips. "He was once a very good friend of mine. He's kind of mousy really but he's smart. Got picked on a lot. I just defended him a few times and suddenly had a friend."

The blue haired ANBU pressed hard on the broken finger, making the puppeteer grunt before pressing her now green glowing hand to his chest and releasing the small amount of sealed healing chakra for this session. Looking at his protruding ribs she prayed there would be enough time.

"As our group made it's way to the Leaf Village for that first chuunin exam, one of the guard began complaining about the rationality of our mission. I think the Kazekage… Orchimaru I mean… I think he would have killed him if Gaara hadn't beat him to it. Without warning he just sent out the sand and smothered the poor bastard to death."

He paused to take in deep even breaths as the healing jutsu once again pulled a great deal of the pain from his body and began to lull him to sleep.

"When we returned I had to explain to my friend that his father was killed during the attack. But he knew. He knew Gaara had done it. They found his body a few weeks later. Covered in sand and crushed. Everyone knew what the sand coffin could do." He opened his eyes just long enough to look into hers and smile. "He asked me to choose. Him, a friend who'd stood by my side and been with me when others simply dismissed me, used me or treated me with cool and false respect. Or Gaara, who'd killed more men before he turned ten than most jounin kill in a career but wanted nothing more than to be a man instead of a monster." He shrugged. "I chose my brother."

She lifted her hand and the green glow died away. His eyes slowly lowered again as she pulled the strips from his face.

"I'm sorry I can't do more." She lay a cool hand to his cheek and brushed it over his matted hair.

"You've done enough. I can't ask for more."

"We will take you out of here." She said leaning over his slowly withering body.

"I want to see my brother again. Whether you take me from here or I crawl out on my belly, I have no doubt that will happen."

"You're very determined."

"I'm a shinobi. Determination comes with the title."

She shook her head, knowing he couldn't see her and stood, lifting her hand to close the seal and leave him here alone again until the next visit.

"I don't know you're name," she heard him say in a sleep inhibited voice, "But if you want to do something more for me, I have a favor to ask."

She looked down at his bruised eye lids and swollen cheeks. She shuddered to think of the pain he would be in when that man started inking his eyelids.

"If I'm able, I'll do whatever you ask."

0.0.0.0.0.0

**Hope you enjoy. Took forever to write. Reviews are always nice. But if you just read it and like it that's okay too.**


	15. Slip of the Tongue

"I love you, Ino!"

Fudo rolled his eyes. "Nara, you are a useless waste of human skin."

The shadow nin was currently draped over Ino's lap and drunker than the Moya Brothers after a bitch session about Kakashi. He'd been gushing over the busty blond for nearly an hour now. Everyone seemed to think it was funny. Everyone but her husband.

"Fudo." Ino cut her eyes to her darker husband.

"Fine but it he touches anything below the chin with that wandering hand, I'm gutting him."

Ino sighed and shook her head.

"I said... I Love You, Ino!" Shikamaru screamed.

"Yes, yes. I love you too, lazy ass." She stroked his hair a few times and he subsided into drunken sighs.

"You said they were like this when you got here?" Choji asked from the opposite couch where a set of large sandal clad feet were perched in his lap.

"Yes." Hinata answered with a sake cup to her lips. "Shikamaru was about to fall out of his chair and Gaara-san was face down on the table."

"Drooling." Neji added with a small smile.

Hinata sighed, "Yes, drooling."

"Well, he's not drooling now but that smile..." Ino shuddered, "Now that's creepy."

The red head had not stopped smiling since they'd lifted him from the table and laid him out on the couch. His head was currently resting in Sakuras lap while she brushed her fingers through his hair. Every now and then he would sigh.

"You missed the giggling earlier." Shino commented from behind his hood and shades. He'd lowered the zipper on his coat to enjoy a few drinks.

"Which one?" Fudo asked, eying Shikamarus hand as it passed dangerously close to his wifes prominent assets.

"Gaara. Shikamaru doesn't giggle. He screams." Choji explained and touched a finger to one of Gaaras exposed toes. His foot jumped and Choji cut his eyes up to the peacefully resting red head.

"Yes. I noticed." Fudo wiggled a finger in his ear. "It's a wonder you let him drink."

"Sweetheart," Ino reached over to pat her jealous husband on the cheek. "You know we only ever get the jump on him when he's like this."

Choji nodded his agreement as he started loosening the straps on Gaaras sandals. "Absolutely. You weren't with us the morning we put him on the roof of the Tower in his shorts and painted 'First come. First Served.' on his chest. The ANBU loved that one."

"Oh! I forgot that one!" Ino laughed. "Apparently some of them peaked to see what kind of 'service' they'd get." She snorted a few times. Nearly knocking Shikamaru on the floor. "They called him 'Chibi Shika' for a month!"

"What month?" Shino grinned from his seat. "The Hokage _still_ calls him that from time to time."

Shikamarus eyes cracked open and he rolled them back to look at the older man. "That is so unfair. There is nothing small about me! I am a manly ninja! A shinobi without compare! I'M A SHADOW WEILDING, ASS KICKING, NARA!!" He took in a very deep breath then sighed it out. "So troublesome."

"It's like his IQ drops to 50 when he drinks." Hinata said in fascination as the man in question stared at his upraised hand as if it held the meaning of life.

"Only when he really puts it away. Two or three and he can still take down half the village in shogi." Choji explained.

Sakura, who'd been quietly observing the mayhem, turned a worried eye to the larger shinobi now wrestling with one of Gaaras sandal straps. He'd managed to remove one but was having some trouble with the other.

"Choji? Why are you taking off his shoes?"

Choji, who'd been drinking rather liberally over the past hour, continued to struggle with the strap.

"You know how people are less inhibited when they're drunk so they react more... true to themselves?"

"Sure... we can go with that." Sakura agreed even more puzzled then before.

Shikamaru broke out into song and Fudo quietly put a hand over his mouth and nose until Ino slapped it away.

"Well, he's not a real touchy feely person and he's never this laid back so..." he finally pried the strap loose and slipped off the shoe. "I was just wondering if he was ticklish and if so, what how would he react."

"No more sake for Choji." Sakura stated

"He's going to kill you if he remembers this." Shino looked on from his corner chair.

Choji placed a single finger at the base of Gaaras foot, moved it half and inch and was stopped. He looked at the delicate hand on his wrist and swallowed hard. He raised his eyes and blushed to see Hinata smiling with a mischievous and slightly embarrassed look.

"Ooooh. Now I get it!"

Both shinobi looked back up the couch to see a very blurry eyed Gaara staring down at them. He'd pulled himself up on one elbow and was watching them with that creepy grin. Sakura partially under him, looking dumbfounded. Of all the things she'd thought he would say, that hadn't been it.

"But I don't understand why their courting over my feet?" He frowned. "Where are my sandals?"

"Courting?" Hinata asked.

Choji turned another shade of red while looking between the room, Gaara and Hinata. He glanced at his normally helpful friend. Shikamaru wouldn't be helping him tonight. Not snoring like that anyway. And since Ino was just now catching on, he doubted she'd be fast enough on her feet to fix this.

"Well, I've never considered my feet romantic... or attractive really, but if that's where you want to be..." He tossed his hands out toward his bare feet and the couple. With his support gone he fell back into Sakuras lap and blinked wide eyes at her.

"Hello." She laughed under her breath as she greeted him.

"Heeeellooooo." He sang back.

Hinata, still blushing, smiled back at Choji. "You said he giggles?" She asked.

"Like a psychotic chipmunk." He smiled back.

Hinata licked her lips and wiggled her fingers at Choji. "Sakura? Hold him!"

0.0.0.0.0.0

Sasuke looked up from his work when the door to his study opened. He smiled as Kouhei Hirasi came into the room and pulled the door closed.

"I wasn't expecting you for another hour." Sasuke shuffled the papers on his desk and opened a top draw to stack them. "Give me a moment and I'll be ready."

Kouhei looked down on his lover of six months and smiled. At twenty-nine he was ten years older than the infamous Uchiha and maybe a little more battle worn. It never ceased to amaze him the dark haired beauty had looked his way.

"I wasn't due for another hour." He said as he walked to the desk. "I just wanted to see you."

When he'd first come to this village he'd been mistaken several times for the Hokage. He'd only met the man once and found him fun if a little frightening. But he'd turned out to be a very good leader. A leader willing to die for his village. Kouhei was sure that sometimes Sasuke envied Naruto that kind of loyalty.

Sasuke looked up from locking the drawer and frown. "Is everything alright? You seem distracted."

"Oh. It's nothing. I got a mission today so I won't have a lot of time this week before I go." He leaned in to place a gentle kiss to the corner of Sasukes lips.

"Well, then we'll just make the best of the time we have before you go." His carefully measured voice nearly covered his worry.

"Right."

There was a sturdy knock on the door. Sasuke called 'enter' with only mild irritation.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but the medic is here to check the twins and Takako." Izanami bowed from the door.

"I'll see to it." He turned to Kouhei and offered a soft smile that didn't hide the lines of worry around his eyes. "I'll only be a moment."

Izanami moved aside as her husband swept from the room. When he was out of site she stepped inside and closed the door. She and Kouhei watched one another from the distance of the room. Izanami cool and composed. Kouhei with his soft, perpetually laughing, smile.

"She's sending you, isn't she?" She asked.

He nodded. "I was third in line."

She stared at him in realization and a single tear slipped from her lashes, giving voice to the fear she would not show. There were four ninja medics qualified for the mission she knew he was taking. Only four.

"We are medical ninja, Izanami. We are an invaluable resource."

She continued to stare. "Why couldn't they send Sakura?"

He shook his head and walked closer to her. "She can't be spared with everything going on at the hospital right now. And this is one mission her team can't take."

Izanami looked up at her long time friend as he advanced on her. "If he'd known they would send you for this, I doubt he would have requested the mission." Another tear escaped and she ignored it.

"He would have done it. Because he knows no one else could." He reached out and she walked into his arms.

"I've never been so sorry to be pregnant in all my life." She whispered, knowing had she not been, she would have been the next in line for this mission.

A light swat on the shoulder met that statement. "Never say things like that. The baby will hear you."

Her soft chuckle made some of the tension in him ease.

"Don't die. Whatever you do, don't die. I don't know what he'll do if he loses anyone else he cares for." She pushed back to regain her some of her control.

"He's not in love with me, Izanami." Kouhei let her move from his arms and watched as she gently touched the tears on her face with her robes. "If it happens he'll survive and move on."

She looked up, her face cool and composed once more but the shadows of fear still shifting in her eyes.

"You discount yourself too easily. He may not be in love but I promise, he does love you. That in itself is special."

He shrugged and rolled his shoulders. "Since I have no intention of dieing, it hardly matters."

The sound of soft footsteps in the hall had them separating to their original places. He winked at her and she smirked.

"I won't tell Takako you're leaving. If she found out she'd never give him peace." She whispered.

"She gives him no peace anyway. And she'll realize I'm gone when she doesn't see me for two weeks." He whispered in reply.

"You're a good friend." She smiled.

"You're a good wife?" He grinned. "If a little unconventional."

She raised a brow. "If I were conventional, they'd never find the body."

He gave a small 'ah' just as the door opened and Sasuke swept back inside. He eyed the two suspiciously before walking to the desk to collect his weapons pouch. "I don't suppose the two of you were discussing me?" He asked conversationally.

Wife and lover shook their heads and sighed in unison.

"I'll leave you to yourselves." Izanami uttered quietly, "Goodnight, Sasuke-kun. Kouhei-san."

When she was out of the room Kouhei turned to wrap his arms around the pale young man. Sasuke leaned into him with a soft sigh.

"You shouldn't discuss people behind their backs." He whispered.

"Hypocrite." The older man sighed in his ear. "Don't think I don't know where Ino gets most of her information."

Kouhei held him a little tighter and pressed a lingering kiss behind his ear. Sasuke leaned back in invitation and he chuckled low and deep.

"Don't you think we should go first? I personally don't want any of your children walking in on us when I get started."

Sasukes answering shiver was almost as good as the quick movement that had him out the door and calling, "Hurry up!" as he moved swiftly down the hall.

0.0.0.0.0.0

"Why are we letting them do this again?" Ino asked as Gaara tripped over a rug and crawled toward the table on wobbly knees.

"Because it's fun to watch and I think, if I'm not mistaken, they're actually enjoying themselves." Neji replied as he sat back sipping his sake.

Choji was now enlarging a hand in an attempt to catch the quick and nimble sand wielder but couldn't fit the overlarge appendage under the table where Gaara had squeezed himself.

"Alright, Nara's in bed and still breathing." Fudo dropped down next to Ino and tossed an arm over her shoulder. "What did I miss?"

"Hinata almost had him but he slipped past when she and Choji got tangled up together. He'd almost made the door when Sakura stepped in front of him. Now he's back peddled and they have him trapped under the table." Ino dropped her head to his shoulder and rubbed his thigh absently.

The three watched as Sakura used enhanced strength to lift the table but slipped on an empty sake bottle and, giggling, dropped to her butt. The table made a loud thunk as its legs connected with the floor. Choji having jumped as the table came down, lost his balance and toppled to his back. Hinata was laughing outright as she crawled over to the chubby shinobi. Gaara took that moment to crawl from under the table and make an escape only to have his ankle trapped in strong slender hands. Sakura jerked on her prize until he fell on his belly then began to tickle the bottoms of his bare feet. Gaara laughed uncontrollably and attempted to wiggle free but Choji and Hinata had made their way over to the struggling red head and added their hands to the mix. The poor inebriated man could do little more than roll on the floor, screaming and crying with laughter as he was tickle tortured by his three equally drunken comrades.

"Why aren't we that wasted?" Ino asked on a sigh.

"Because we are the responsible adults." Fudo replied then looked over at Shino who'd fallen asleep at an unreasonably early hour. "What do we do with bug boy over there?"

Neji looked back and shrugged. "He'll be fine here. I'll make sure he gets back alright since he's on my way."

"What about those four?" Ino asked.

The group was winding down and Gaara was on his stomach trying desperately to catch his breath. Sakura and Hinata were trying to help Choji to his feet, Hinata wobbling a little unsteadily.

"I'm… staying here tonight." Choji grunted as he made it to one knee and the girls gave up. "Everyone can stay if they need to. Shika made sure all the rooms were ready before we came… okay, his mother made sure all the rooms were ready."

"Not surprised." Mumbled Fudo.

Hinata blushed as she looked from Shino to Choji. "If that's alright. I don't think Shino will be waking up any time soon."

Fudo heard the nearly imperceptible sound of quiet laughter and glance over his shoulder at the Aburame. His shoulders shook every so slightly and it dawned on him that the man wasn't nearly as asleep as he appeared to be. Looking back at the way Ino's teammate was watching Hinata, he had a good idea why the bug nin was faking it.

"Sure. No problem." Choji smiled delightedly.

"I can't." The voice was hoarse and still out of breath. "They'll worry if I don't come back."

Everyone looked down at Gaara as he took the last of his strength and rolled to his back.

"Who'll be worried?" Sakura asked then looked over at Neji.

"The widows." The Hyuuga replied. "They keep an eye on him. He probably didn't tell them he was going to be out all night. Sometimes they wait up for him."

Gaara sighed from the floor and started trying to sit up. "Where are my shoes?" He looked around with a furrowed brow.

"I'll take him." Sakura brushed her pink hair from her eyes.

Neji looked at her closely. "I am not letting two drunks walk each other home."

"I'm not drunk, only tipsy. And he's a lot better then he was when we got here. If he can walk, I can get him home." She replied huffily.

"I can walk the two of you home." Neji pressed.

"It's out of your way. There won't be any trouble. It's not that far."

Neji looked down at the red head that'd managed to get to his knees and was now trying to remember where his sandals were. The smile was gone from his face. A good indication he was getting back to normal.

"We'll walk them to the end of the road. Then all they have to do is cross the market street. They'll be fine." Ino assured the frowning Hyuuga.

Gaara looked up from the side of the couch and blinked a few times before giving Neji a very small and unguarded smile. "Don't worry. We'll be fine."

Neji, having nothing to say to the small glimpse of the man his friend might have been had life been different, simply smiled back.

0.0.0.0.0.0

It was late. Very late. But Tsunade wanted these preparations complete. So much had to be done in so little time and if it didn't come off perfectly… she wouldn't think about the consequences. The worst would _not_ happen. They'd make sure of it.

"Shizune, do you have the scrolls?"

The overworked assistant stood and scrubbed her eyes as she passed on the scrolls.

"They're finished. I've noted the complication with the move and pulled Hirasi-san as the field medic."

Tsunade paused for a moment before moving on to the next paper in front of her.

"Are you sure he's up to the task? This is a dangerous and crucial mission. We'll be bringing back a heavily wounded ninja, who will need constant medical supervision, through extremely hostile territory."

Shizune nodded and looked her Hokage in the eye as she spoke.

"He's third in line after Sakura and Izanami. Sakura is too badly needed and with Gaara on her team, we can't send them. And of course, Izanami is too far along to send out on a mission."

Feeling sorrier than she cared to admit for the choices they were forced to make, Tsunade nodded quickly and handed over another set of scrolls.

"The next group should be coming in the next few days. Hirasi will leave the same day. Have him ready."

Shizune nodded and turned, scrolls in hand, to her desk only to stop as she made the door. She turned to look at her long time friend and companion. "Are you sure you can repair the damage." Tsunade looked up. "I saw the reports Yugao sent. It doesn't look good."

The blond watch her darker companion for a moment before lifting her chin. "If they can get him here alive, I can heal him."

Shizune nodded. "I'll inform Hirasi-san."

0.0.0.0.0.0

The door banged against the wall as Gaara and Sakura fell through it. Sakura righted them with a giggle and they shifted sideways to fall into the bed.

"Uhg." Gaara grunted as Sakura fell on top of him.

"Sorry." She sat up and looked down.

Gaaras hair was loose from his tie and tangled around her head. His eyes closed, looking like dark spots on flawless skin. It didn't detract from his beauty, only made him look more fascinating. Sakura brushed a lock of hair from his face and carried the light touch down his cheek.

"I think Choji and Hinata had a really good time tonight. Me too."

Gaara grunted and cracked one eye open. "Good."

"You and Neji aren't really having an affair are you?"

He closed his eyes again and sighed, loudly. "Nope." He ended the word with a pop.

Sakura laughed lightly and dropped her head to his chest. She listened to his heartbeat for a moment then noticed his breathing was heavier than usual. She looked up, inches away from his face. His eyes were cracked open enough to see just a slit of sea green.

"Are you alright?" She reached up a hand to touch his forehead.

"You're very close." He whispered and swallowed.

Sakura stiffened. "Does that make you uncomfortable?"

"Yes… No… I don't know." His cheeks were flush from the alcohol and the smell of sake hung on every breath.

He was well and truly drunk… and talking more than she'd ever heard. When she'd first reached Shikamarus house, he'd been talking non-stop about anything from cherries to starry desert nights. His face had run through a series of expressions she didn't know he was capable of and she'd found herself thinking of Naruto and how everything, no matter how small, had delighted him. She wanted more of those faces.

"Gaara?" She relaxed and settled more fully on him.

"Yah." His voice was still raspy from all the screaming and she smiled at the reminder of how ticklish his feet were.

"Has anyone ever given you a goodnight kiss?" She watched his face and the confused expression that crossed it.

"I think… Yashamaru did once… I think." His face seemed to fall a little and she quickly touched a hand to the lines the frown caused; smoothing them with her fingers.

"Gaara?" Once again, his eyes opened just enough to see a hint of sea green in all that black.

"Yah?"

"May I give you a good night kiss?" She whispered just inches from his face.

He smiled. A small smile that might have belonged to the child he'd once been. The one that didn't understand just how different he was.

"Okay."

Gaara closed his eyes again. He vaguely remembered good night kisses. Sometimes, when she thought he was asleep, Temari would sneak one in on Kankuro. He'd always wondered if she did the same to him when he was really asleep. He would love to remember it.

But the press of warm, damp lips to the corner of his mouth was nothing like the good night kiss he thought he remembered from his childhood and he found his breathing labored again. His mind was too fuzzy still to process all the information he was receiving. All he knew was that the touch was odd and felt pretty good. But a little piece of him felt slightly disturbed.

"I don't think that's how Yashamaru did it." He whispered.

"I'm not your uncle." She said and he felt the touch of her fingers on his cheek.

"That explains it." He said, thinking of the odd sensation the kiss had caused.

She was silent for so long he thought she'd fallen asleep but when he opened his eyes she was staring at him with an odd expression. Like she was thinking really hard. Since _he_ had to think really hard too he didn't mind so much. But when she bent over him again, this time pressing her lips to his chin, then neck, he shivered. That strange sensation was back. He remembered it. He'd had it a few times before and in his current state it was making thought difficult.

Her lips moved down his throat and she settled her teeth into his adams apple before moving back up to his chin. The closer she got the more of her he could smell and his eyes closed again. She smelled just like her name implied. He loved the fragrant blossoms of ornamental cherry trees almost as much as he loved the fruit. They were so hard to come by in the desert and so expensive. She smelled just like them. Internally he shook as his body finally took note of what was happening and just what was on top of him. He _could_ stop her. He had enough common sense left to know this wasn't going to end well, but she was so close and he'd not been held like this in so long…

"Sakura." He breathed her name as her lips passed his right temple and her hand slipped beneath his tunic to brush his side. The scent of cherry blossoms overwhelming his senses.

Her eyes closed and her body shaking, Sakura breathed into his hair.

"Naruto."

0.0.0.0.0.0

**Well?**


	16. Apologies

**I haven't read over this so I hope their aren't too many mistakes. Lemons will come with a companion piece I've talked about on my home page to preserve the T rating. Also, I will be playing with cannon. Just a little. Disclaimers on the home page. **

0.0.0.0.0.0

"_Fall back!"_

_The lines began to fall back as a giant toad made its way to the forefront. Women and children hurried with brisk shinobi toward the mountain and the safe tunnels inside. The attack hadn't been a surprise but it had been quicker than expected._

"_Everyone fall back!!" _

_The shout raised over the rumbling crowd as Sakura watched the giant toad take its position in front of the last of the Akatsuki threat. The sixth Hokage riding his back. She heard the sounds of cheers. Of those old enough to remember watching history repeat itself. She was so proud of him in that moment. Any time now he would unleash the unlocked power of the kyuubi. He would build the rasengan and crush the last enemies to the peace of his village. _

"_Sakura! If you don't get your ass out of here I'm going to move it for you!"_

_The voice was familiar behind the mask. Kakashi. She turned and followed his mane of silver hair as the fight began, turning her back on Naruto._

"_There's an attack at the Uchiha compound and the center village. Looks like we missed a few. At least twenty reported" Another shinobi called._

"_Sasuke can handle his own. Is everyone out of the village?" _

"_Yes, sir."_

"_Let it go. We can rebuild a house." Kakashi ordered and disappeared into the chaotic crowd._

_Sakura continued toward the mountain and her daughter while wild winds whipped the dirt and grass around them. _

"_What is that?" _

_She turned at the sound of awe and fear in the voice coming from behind. Her feet stopped moving as the red-orange light of the demon chakra poured over the toads passenger. Her breath stopped when she saw there were three of them. And her heart stopped when she saw the overlarge shuriken in the hand at the center._

"_No." Her feet moved toward the battle field._

"_Sakura!" She ignored the call._

"_Naruto! No!" She drew in close to the gate, prepared to leap to the trees. _

_One figure leapt forward and the rasenshuriken disappeared into the clearing below. The clones stood still, watching the battle._

"_Sakura!! Stop!"_

_An explosion of light rolled over the clearing. The bubble of wind and power growing then collapsing. The clones looked down, smiled at her then disappeared in clouds of smoke._

"_NO!"_

_The toad vanished._

"_NARUTO!"_

0.0.0.0.0.0

Sakura gasped as she woke, sweat running down the side of her face and tears from her eyes. The memory had turned to a dream a few months after his death and it always ended before she reached him. But she remembered his face as she came to him. The smile he had given her. And for just a moment she thought he was alright. She thought they'd all won. In reality he was already dead. In only a few more hours his chakra would completely stop flowing. The damage to his internal chakra network by the needle-like wind jutsu had been almost as total as that dealt on their enemies. But he'd lasted long enough. Just long enough to see his little girl again. Long enough for one last kiss. Just long enough to tell all of those that matter most good bye.

It would have been kinder had he died on that field. Then she might have been able to forgive Kakashi for ordering her turn her back and run. Or Sasuke for not being by his best friends side. As a team they had been unstoppable. As individuals everything had fallen apart. And now he was gone. His daughter wouldn't know her father. And everything she'd fought so hard to protect had slipped through her fingers.

"Damn." She sat up, pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "Maybe I should have gone to therapy with Neji."

"Maybe you should have."

The voice took her off guard and she looked up for the first time. The walls were bare. A single table sat to the side and a small kitchenette not far from it. The bed was a single and the sheets a plain white. Several decorative pots and boxes sat on a small table by a single window. This wasn't her room.

Swallowing she turned her head to the door.

"Oh hell." She whispered.

"Oh hell is right." Neji replied from behind a far too calm Moegi.

Sakura was silent as she thought through the night before. Everything from the moment they left Shikamarus house to walking through the door and then... She groaned and dropped her head to her knees.

"I take it this is exactly what it looks like?" Neji asked watching a very nude Sakura bang her forehead against her sheet covered knees.

"Please tell me you two are the only ones that know." Sakura mumbled into the sheet.

"Gai swung by early this morning." Neji told her.

"No." Sakura squeaked.

"Apparently he looked a little pale when he left so Genma came up to make sure everything was alright." He continued.

"No!" She cried.

"And I was at the Hokages office when Genma came in to report..." Moegi carried on in a very controlled voice.

Sakura whimpered and threw herself backwards in the bed while tossing the sheet up to hide beneath.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Neji closed the door behind them and started for the stairs. Moegi stood by the railing for a moment, gripping the bar far too tightly.

"You lied about Tsunade-sama knowing." Neji said with certainty.

Moegi looked at him. "I didn't lie about Genma making a report to her."

"You just failed to mention what the report was." He nodded. "Why are you here?"

"We were scheduled to meet this afternoon but I wanted to see if he was in the mood for an early lunch." She snorted. "Looks like he already had dessert."

Neji grabbed her arm and pried her away from the railing and down the stairs. She went, reluctantly, only looking back as the door to Gaaras apartment opened on a flustered and clumsy Sakura.

"They're two consenting adults, Moegi. You can't kill her for poaching on territory that's not yours. Let it go."

She turned away from pink hair running toward another street and jerked her hand free of Nejis grip.

"I wasn't thinking that. And I don't consider him territory. He doesn't see me that way." She said simply and sadly.

"So he talked to you?"

"Yes."

Neji turned down the long wooded path leading back to his home.

"What did he say?"

She stopped in the middle of the road as anger flared at the remembered discussion and glared daggers at the back of his head.

"He _said_ that though he found my interest flattering he didn't think I should waste those interests on someone like him." She voiced venomously.

Neji turned, completely stunned. "What?"

"Yeah! Can you believe it? Then he tells me I would be better served by pursuing someone my _own age_! He even mentioned Konohamaru!"

"What?" Neji stared open mouthed at her.

"Does the man have _any_ idea what is going on around him? And what does he mean, _my own age_? What does he think I am? Twelve! I'm old enough for my parents to marry me off, if they didn't think I'd go missing nin to get out of it. Who does he think he is?"

Nejis thoughts ground to a sudden halt. That was a very good question. Who exactly did Gaara think he was?

"I mean, here I am trying to work myself up to asked him out and he's off..."

"Wait. Ask him out?" Neji started to feel a little ill. Hadn't she already manipulated a date out of him?

"Yeah. I wanted to get to know him a little better, you know. So I asked the Hokage if I could give him a more personalized tour of everything and help him adjust a little better to his part in the chuunin exams. She thought it was a good idea since she didn't want to spend an afternoon explaining everything to him, cause he'd only forget it anyway. So she said yes. I thought it was cool. We could sit and have lunch and I could help him figure everything out and maybe he'd start to feel comfortable with me."

Neji started to feel very ill. He swallowed several times to clear the offending taste running up the back of his throat.

"Then he started asking me things about the village and the people and well... we started talking more about everything else and only a little about the exams."

She tossed her head back and groaned.

"And now I find out he was just _humoring_ me!"

Neji debated telling her that Gaaras attitude was partly his fault. That he'd placed the idea of her manipulation in the red heads mind without considering it might not be true. Then he thought of the pink haired kunoichi this girl was so reminiscent of and how her temper could soar to unbelievable and sometimes unsurvivable heights. He didn't want to find out just how bad Moegis temper could get.

"I'll talk to him." He said before he could think too hard about it.

"What?" Moegi blinked as if coming back from a dream.

"I'll talk to Gaara. After this morning I think he might need to rethink his current course anyway." It wasn't illegal or immoral but it wasn't wise to date teammates and what Gaara and Sakura had done was even less wise. The potential for disaster was hovering just over their heads. Gaara definitely needed to rethink his course.

And Neji wanted to keep his manhood in tact.

But to his surprise, Moegi sighed and shook her head. "Don't. If I can't make him see me on my own then I'll never know if he's seeing me out of pity, desperation or his own interest. Just... make sure he's alright. I'll try to head off any rumors that might be started already."

Neji gave her his friendly half smile and muttered a "thanks" before tuning back toward the path that lead to the monuments and the graves of Konohas fallen. And he _would_ speak to Gaara about the orange haired girl... no, woman. She was far more mature than either of them had given her credit for.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Izanami walked silently with Hiro and Naruto. Tadao was at home with the nurse who watched the twins having come down with a bit of a cold. The boys had wanted to go out and the older woman had kindly offered to watch the unusually sedate two and a half year old.

"Mama?" Hiro called quietly and pulled on her sleeve.

She bent down to her son as Naruto walked a little ahead of them. The little blond menace was chatting animatedly with everyone he passed. She smiled to see a few of the villagers and even shinobi stopped to listen and offer a line or two of conversation in return.

"Mama, can we go see Uncle Lee and Uncle Hokey?" Hiros eyes followed Naruto as he talked with a chuunin who had stopped to listen to his story.

"You know it upsets Naruto when we go." She spoke just as softly.

"But maybe it won't be so bad this time." He pouted.

The boys had loved Naruto and Lee. When they both had died with only moments between each death, the boys had taken it badly. Naruto still cried nearly every time Lee was mentioned and taking his to the graves was usually a parental nightmare.

"Hiro..."

"Please, mama?" Hiros large black eyes pleaded.

She tried to find something stern in her to tell him no. She knew Naruto was going to cry all the way there. So she tried and she searched but she couldn't combat those pleading dark eyes. Mentally tallying the number of teenage girls she could kill and get away with it when this boy turned fifteen, she smiled and patted his head.

"Alright." She motioned with her head toward Naruto. "Go get your brother. We won't tell him where we're going until we get there."

Hiro smiled a very toothy smile and run to catch up with his boisterous brother.

Sighing she waited for them to come back then turned them toward the wooded path. Narutos eyes were already tearing up.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Sand shifted from the form of an eagle to that of a scorpion then settled into a small pile at the edge of the headstone. Gaara held out a hand and the sand flowed over it for a moment before sliding off again. He sighed and called the sand back to the arm length gourd sitting next to him.

"Well, I still can't get the sand armor to hold but I can use most of the attacks and I've built a few sturdy walls." He leaned back against the headstone and ran his hands over the flowers surrounding him. "I haven't tried to _make_ sand yet. Thought I'd give that a shot this week. Gai was pleased to see I'd come as far as I have. Personally, I'm feeling a little useless."

He looked over his shoulders at the leaf insignia on that headstone, right about the name Naruto Uzumaki. He reached up and traced the symbol on his forehead protector. The leaf, etched in cold metal, was still unfamiliar to his fingers.

"I did something really stupid last night. I slept with your girlfriends." He frowned questioningly and as he stared up at the gray-blue sky. "Was she your girlfriend or your almost wife or... I don't know. I'll just call her Sakura." He shrugged, sighed and leaned his head against the headstone with his eyes closed. "I slept with Sakura last night."

He waited for anger or humor or something to come at him. Some sign that he'd been heard and it mattered to someone. Nothing came. He was alone here in this place. His friend long gone.

"I wish you were here. I feel so out of place. I woke up this morning and saw her lying there and... all I could think was if you were here none of this would have happened." He clenched his fist in the flowers under his fingers. The petals crushed and fluttered to the ground as he flexed his hand open again. "I know that's not true but I can't help feeling it."

A cold wind blew through the graveyard and Gaara hunched into his turtleneck and vest. Anticipating a long workout and a lot of sweating, he hadn't worn his cloak.

"I've thought so many times about going back. I could slip past the guards and head back to Suna. I'd die before I made it to the sand but it wouldn't matter. This would all be over and I wouldn't have to think about..." He sucked in a breath, his eyes still closed and now leaking moister he didn't even notice. "How did you do it? He was like a brother to you. How did you leave him in that mans care for three years without going insane over what had happened to him?"

The wind blew with more force, heralding rougher weather to come. He didn't pay attention.

"I know you tried to stop him but... How? How could you let him go? I'd have had more peace seeing Kankuro dead with Temari than I do it this moment. I feel pain I haven't felt in years and I hate it!"

A scrap of boots caught his attention and his eyes flew open. A woman in medics robes stood a few meters from him. He recognized her from the hospital and by the two boys with her. Naruto and Hiro gave him cursory glances before walked toward another grave. Narutos eyes were shining with tears and his face was splotchy and red. He watched them move away then turned back to Sasukes wife, who'd moved closer to him while his eyes were averted.

"Sabaku-san." She bowed her head to him.

"Please, it's Gaara. That title is pointless now."

She eyed the gourd at his hip and raised a brow. "Unless that thing is filled with water, I think the title has a very valid point."

He looked to the gourd as well and sighed. He might as well stop arguing the point. The majority of the village knew his as Gaara Sabaku. Gaara of the Sand. They would never see him as anything else, no matter how long he stayed here.

"You look as if you've lost something precious." He gave her a dry look but she only smiled and sat in front of him, putting enough room between them to keep him comfortable. "My apologies. I didn't mean to cause you more pain."

He shook his head. "You're not to blame for my problems. I didn't realize anyone would be here this time of day. I thought I was alone."

She pulled a cloth from her hip pouch and tossed it to him. He looked at it questioningly until she touched her own cheek. He reached up and gasped softly to feel the wet tracks on his face. Wiping at the tear tracks with the cloth he stared at it for a long moment.

"You seems surprised. Everyone cries from time to time. Only the weak won't admit to it."

He nodded but looked toward the children farther down the row of headstones. Narutos sobs seemed to have stopped. Now the tears simply ran, silent and free, down his cheeks. Hiro sat behind him with his thin legs wrapped around his older bothers hips and his chin on his shoulder. The younger, paler Uchiha was staring solemnly at the name etched on the stone and rocking his brother ever so slowly with the wind.

"They loved Lee. Almost as much as their own father." Gaara looked puzzled but she only smiled. "Lee and Sasuke were... close... toward the end. When both he and Naruto died, I thought Sasuke would break. But he is a shinobi and a Uchiha. I guess if you can survive watching your brother murder your family you can survive anything. The boys, however..."

Gaara finally turned away from the children to look at her. "It's hard for children to understand why someone they love isn't coming back again."

She nodded. "You sound like someone who knows..."

"No." He cut her off. "But I have it from a reliable source." He thought of Temari describing what she could remember of their mother. He hoped that womans memory didn't die with her eldest child.

"Mama?" Both Gaara and Izanami looked up as Hiro and Naruto made their way toward them.

"Yes, sweetheart. What do you need?" Izanami opened her arms and both boys climbed into her lap. Naruto lay his head on her shoulder and rubbed his running nose on her robes.

"Is it okay if we see Uncle Hokey now?" He asked quietly with a glance at Gaara.

It took the red head a moment to realize he was sitting in front of the headstone they wanted to see. He looked back one last time at Narutos grave and touched the cool stone lightly with his fingers before moving.

"Thank you." Hiro whispered quietly as he followed his brother to the Hokages grave and took up his position behind the blond Uchiha.

Gaara felt Izanami come up behind him. "Why do they call him Uncle Hokey?"

"Well, Sasuke will tell you they are wise beyond their years, but the truth is they were young and Hokey was the closest Naruto could get to Hokage." She replied but there was little laughter in her voice.

"I've been told Sasuke was a very compassionate and simple child who idolized and loved his brother. Once upon a time Sasuke was much like Hiro." She looked at her son with a fierce determination.

Gaara watched her for a moment before she turned those eyes on him. He had to look away from the simple plea that laced her look.

"Don't run."

He stiffened. He hadn't realized she'd been listening that long.

"If you can not stay for yourself then stay for the friends you have made here. For the people who have defended you and helped you survive and recover. "

He didn't say anything, simply looked out, unseeing, over the bed of flowers and graves.

"And if you can't do it for them, do it for the two boys sitting there morning their second greatest hero."

Gaaras site narrowed on Hiros back and the Uchiha symbol on his jacket. He only just noticed the boy dressed much like Sasuke when he'd first met the man so many years ago.

"You are a strong and able shinobi who has fought and given his life for his people."

"A people who betrayed me, murdered my family and left me for dead." He turned and spat at her.

Her eyes glazed with fear and anger. "Not all of them." He stilled. "Fear is a potent tool. You of all people should know that. And there are people in this village who will risk their lives for your benefit. Don't you think you owe them more than running to your death simply to ease your own pain?"

He stared at her as his conversation with Shikamaru only the day before came flooding back in his mind. The medical charts that shouldn't have been there. The coded scrolls. The way any room in the tower went completely silent when he entered.

"What do you know?" He asked in a strangled voice.

Her face was a cold mask but her eyes were full of fury and fear. "Peace is a precious and fleeting thing. Protect it. Play your part. Stand for this village and the people who live in it."

"Tell me what you know." He gritted out.

"I know that before this is over someone will die." His eyes widened and she stepped shoulder to shoulder with him. "And my sons will morn over another grave."

He shook. The mission request Shikamaru had been unable to read... all the boxes of sand.

He turned to look at her down the line of his shoulder. "What do you want from me?" He asked.

She looked up at him with eyes gone cold and glittering with tears. "I want you to make damn sure you're worth the price."

0.0.0.0.0.0

Sakura rocked to a halt in front of Tsunades door and wince at the harsh explicative coming from her teachers mouth. She'd figured Tsunade would be at least understanding... she braced herself for battle and flung the doors open.

"I should have your ass thrown in the deepest pit the fire country has and bury you in it!"

Sakura blinked as Tsunade rounded on an eerily calm Shikamaru.

"You could try that but I think the deepest one is already occupied at the moment."

The lazy shinobi smiled at the busty blond which only seemed to piss her off more.

"Did Gaara put you up to this?" She asked far too calmly.

Shikamaru just shook his head. "Nope. It was my own morbid curiosity."

_Good grief! How many people know about last night?_ She thought.

Tsunade made a grab for the shadow wielder and Sakura jumped in just as Shizune walked into the room with a hand full of scrolls.

"Please, sensei!" Sakura jumped between the two and Tsunade narrowed her eyes.

"I'll get to you in a minute!" The Hokage all but screamed.

Sakura swallowed but didn't move.

"I'm not sure what you've been told, but please let me explain! It was only one night and I'm going to apologies for anything I've said that upset Gaara-san! I swear!"

Tsunade frown. Shizune frowned. Shikamaru raised a brow. Sakura huffed and stomped her foot.

"Oh for the love of... It was just Sex!!"

"Oh hell." Shikamaru whispered from behind her.

Too late she realized her mistake. They hadn't been talking about she and Gaara or what had happened the night before.

But they would now.

"You... did ... WHAT?!"

Shikamaru and Shizune sneaked quietly from the office, leaving Tsunade with her new target, dumped their paperwork and made their haste way for the open streets.

0.0.0.0.0.0

**As I've said, I haven't read over this. I hope it reads alright because I'm too tired to fix it tonight. If it sucks let me know and I'll do better next time.**


	17. Night Lights

"Does she actually call that dancing?" Shikamaru asked as he lifted his cup and watched Ino twirl in the crowd.

"I'd say that's a yes." Choji replied while lifting his dango stick.

The winter festival had begun that morning and was well under way by afternoon. There had been music and vending as well as colorful costumes and any number of amazing sites all throughout the day. By evening the lights had colored the streets in bright blues and greens and sparklers were waving in the hands of nearly every passerby. The dancing had started then and even shinobi still on duty couldn't help but be pulled, just for a moment or two, into the crowds before coming out smiling.

"At least her husbands enjoying it." Choji continued.

Ino was dancing through the crowd with arms flailing and hips swishing. Fudo had kept a close watch on her for the first part of the evening but as the light faded into night she'd managed to pull him into the crowd as more than just a chaperon.

"He really needs to lighten up." Shikamaru yawed. "If she was going to leave him she'd be long gone by now and Inos not one to cheat."

Choji gave him a rather droll look. "Why are you explaining this to me? I already know."

"I wasn't." Shikamaru thumbed over his shoulder. "I was telling _him_."

Choji turned with the dango stick in his mouth to smile up at Gaara. The former sand shinobi was standing with his legs braced apart and his arms crossed just below his chest. It was an habitual stance and made Choji shake his head as he swallowed the dango whole.

"Now I see why people always thought you were scary." He grinned when Gaara gave him a puzzled look. "From this angle you look intimidating."

Gaara raised a brow and Choji stood while wiping his mouth with his sleeve. He now looked down at the frowning man and grinned even harder.

"And from this angle?" Gaara asked with not a little sarcasm.

"You look short."

Gaara snorted and a small group of genin behind them chuckled very very quietly. Shikamaru simply shook his head and yanked Gaara down into Choji seat before he could round on the idiot genin.

"See you later, Shikamaru. Gaara." The large ninja called as he made his way into the crowded streets.

Gaara ordered tea as he watched the villagers wave sparklers over their heads and dance in and out of shops and carts. He remembered the festivals in Suna that started as the sun was rising and didn't end until the next sunrise. For a long time he'd spent those days and nights locked tightly away where nothing but the faint sounds of music and laughter could be heard and the smell of food could make one nauseous instead of hungry. In later years he joined in on those celebrations. Trying desperately to understand what made them so unique and enjoyable to each person. And as he watched his brother and sister smile and laugh over sake and rice cakes with their sensei, he'd finally started to realize that though this was something he may never truly understand, he desperately wanted to protect it. And as Kazekage he had. For a while at least.

"Home sick?" Shikamaru asked and glance over before turning to give Gaara the full weight of his eyes.

Gaara looked over the crowd for just a while longer. A week ago he might have said yes. His one night with Sakura had done nothing to alleviate the empty feeling deep inside his chest, but a strangers simple demand had. Izanami Uchihas words echoed in his mind for hours after he'd left her and her two grieving sons in the cemetery. He'd spent those hours roaming the streets of Konoha in an attempt to understand what she knew and what it meant _for and to_ him. By late afternoon he'd found himself in front of the gates. The guards in the station stood to attention at the site of him but he'd barely noticed. Would it really be running if he left to find his brother? Would he really be betraying a people who knew so little about him and probably cared even less? It was his job to protect them but if he couldn't protect his own village...

His thoughts had been broken when Shikamaru called him. He'd taken one last look at the gates that pointed toward his home and turned to speak with his friend. That's when he'd learned about the mission to Suna. The mission that was pulling people out of the village and relocating them to boarder cities as far way from the Wind country as they could get them. The mission that had started only a couple of weeks after he'd been found and brought back to the village. It had been commissioned by a founding family leader and kept quiet from the council so as not to draw suspicion to the village. None of the refugees stayed more than a week. No one could trace them back to the village. And according to the records and the papers he'd signed, _he_ was here of his own free will.

If there had been any lingering doubts in his mind about the price he owed these people, it had died with that conversation.

"A little. But I think it will pass."

Shikamaru nodded and turned back to the festivities. Then smiled and lazily pointed toward an opening in the crowd.

"Here comes Sakura."

Gaara simply nodded his acknowledgment and turned toward his harried teammate as she dragged a giggling toddler behind her.

Since that night a week ago his friends had been giving him hell. Shikamaru, being the most subtle, had simply found pleasure in the way he cringed or blushed over passing comments. Choji had been relatively kind in backing him up, no matter how embarrassing that turned out to be. But Neji had taken great pleasure in bringing it up every time they were in friendly company and especially in Gais presence. It was a wonder the poor man didn't pass out from all the blood rushing to his face. However, no one said a word when Sakura was around which gave him a small reprieve during training and short missions. After the first broken and bloodied ninja had gone to the hospital all others had found it wise not to mention the incident in front of her. Moegi had gone a long way to help keep the incident down to minor gossip. He was thankful for that and was trying very hard to find a way to express that thanks that was acceptable to both of them.

"Oi! Shikamaru! Gaara!" Sakura waved an arm as she lugged the small girl through the open front and toward their table. "Gotta favor to ask." She dropped into the seat across from then and dragged little Tsunade into her lap.

"Whatever it is, it's too troublesome." Shikamaru sighed and dropped his elbow on the table to rest his chin in his hand.

"Yah, yah, whatever. Look. I need you to watch Tsunade for me until Sasukes wife comes to pick her up." She didn't sound thrilled with the idea.

"Sakura, if you have a problem with them watching your kid then don't send her over there." The shadow nin complained.

Sakura glared at him. "I don't have a problem with it. She loves playing with the boys and Konohamaru is watching them tonight so I'm sure it will be fine."

Both Gaara and Shikamaru gave her wide eyes. "Just Konohamaru?" They asked in unison.

"I think Udon is helping him out. I wouldn't be surprised if they got Moegi as well, though I heard she was dealing with some issues for the exams that have come up." She frowned in thought then reached out to stop Tsunade from crawling under the table, missing the sidelong glance Shikamaru gave Gaara who, in turn, glared at him.

"But it doesn't matter. The kids are well behaved and Konohamaru loves to watch them. Kurenais boy will be there too so..."

"Hokage help them." Shikamaru muttered and finished off the last of his cup before standing.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning for breakfast?" Gaara watched him walk around the table and ruffle Tsunades hair.

"Sure. Try and get some sleep tonight... big boy." Shikamaru smiled glancing down at Sakuras pink hair with a wicked gleam in his eye.

Sand shifted from Gaaras gourd and snaked over the table. "You know. I've been working on my sand coffin. It won't kill you, but it hurts... _a lot_."

Shikamaru raised both hands in surrender and walked away before Sakura turned on him as well.

"I'll watch her if you like." Gaara offered watching Sakura sag in relief and Tsunade try to catch the now retreating sand.

"Thanks. I have to be at the hospital in ten minutes. Tsunade-sama is still mad at me and..." She swallowed and looked down, settling the wiggling toddler more fully in her lap before meeting his eye. "I've not had a chance to apologize to you for that night. I know there's no excuse but..."

Gaara shook his head. "There is nothing to apologize for. Nothing happened I couldn't have stopped if I'd wanted to."

She took a deep breath intending to explain that she wasn't apologizing for the act but for what she'd said, when she felt the air shift behind her and saw the odd look in Gaaras eyes.

"I'm sorry. Izanami was coming to get her but she's dealing with a difficult issue at home for me."

Sakura turned to face the owner of that smooth silky voice. Sasuke didn't smile when he saw her, but then she hadn't expected him to. She'd not given him a reason to smile at her for more than a year.

"Sasuke." Gaara nodded but didn't break eye contact. It was only the second time he'd seen the man since coming to the village and the last time had been at a distance.

Sasuke didn't answer but continued to stare at the red head. Sakura got the impression the two of them were having a silent conversation when neither spoke for several minutes. She looked at the clock and cursed. Which Tsunade immediately repeated. She could have sworn she heard Sasuke chuckle.

"I have to go. I'm late and the Hokage hasn't been feeling very generous with me lately."

Sasuke cleared his throat but said nothing more.

"We will meet you for training tomorrow morning?" Gaara asked.

"After breakfast. I'll see you then." With a last kiss to Tsunade she tossed her pack over her shoulder and muscled her way through the crowd.

Sasuke reached down and picked up the bouncing toddler.

"Fox!" Tsunade squealed and patted his cheeks with her tiny hands.

"Why are you the fox?"

Sasuke looked down at Gaara. The red head looked quizzically back at him. The same way he seemed to looked at almost anything he didn't really understand. It only took a moment to realize he was asking about the childrens story he'd been telling the boys at bedtime for several years now. Nearly everyone in Konoha knew the story and he supposed some parts of it would be odd to the former demon vessel.

"What have you been told?" Sasuke asked cryptically.

Gaaras expression didn't change but his eyes narrowed just a little leaving tiny creases above his nose.

"I've been told it was anything from lack if creativity to ego."

Sasuke didn't have to guess too much to find out who thought it was ego. He bounced Tsunade on his hip a few times to keep her happy as she twisted his hair between her fingers.

"Naruto may have held the fox demon but he wasn't a fox. He was never sly and though he could play pranks he was never very sneaky about it. He wasn't vicious and he didn't hide from anything. He was loyal and strong and fought with as much honor as a ninja can. That's why he's the Tose Inu."

Gaaras eyes widened and the wrinkles transferred to his forehead. Sasuke clamped down on the bubble of humor and kept his face even. He'd heard about the drunken party they'd had only a week ago. He had a little trouble reconciling the man in front of him with the one he'd heard hid under a table to fight off an Akamichi and a Hyuuga.

"Japanese Mastiff? I would never have considered Naruto prudent, well-tempered or docile." Gaaras lips quirked.

Sasuke nodded then winced with Tsunade bit his shoulder and pulled his hair.

"No. But courageous, that fit him well."

Both men watched one another. The genin at the table behind him stood and Gaara gave them a passing glance as they left. He watched them eye Sasuke with thinly veiled suspicion before they walked into the crowd. Sasukes face didn't change but something in his eyes said he'd seen it and he was putting it away to examine later.

"It's a lot of money to spend on people you don't really care one way or the other for." Gaara tossed out.

Sasuke visibly jumped. He eyed Gaara for a moment in surprise before sighing.

"Who told you?"

Gaara thought about that a moment. Tsunade had asked Shikamaru not to tell him until it would be pointless for him to take off and join the fight. Shikamaru had pointed out to her that Gaara was capable of understanding the need for discretion and wouldn't be foolish enough to let feelings cloud rationale in this instance. Then he'd taken a chance and told him about the mission and exactly what was requested.

"Shikamaru showed off his impressive photographic memory."

Sasuke actually groaned.

"So, why?" Gaara watched thoughts run through the Uchihas eyes.

"He was your friend and brother." Sasuke stated. Gaara simply nodded in acknowledgment of his relationship with Naruto. "He was my brother, too." He paused and swallowed. "We've lost enough family."

Gaara opened his mouth and tried to find a voice around the wall blocking his throat when little Tsunade turned her head and squealed. "Nato! Hio!"

Gaaras mouth snapped shut as he looked around and Sasuke turned toward Naruto and Hiro coming out of the crowd, hand in hand. Naruto was grinning from ear to ear, Hiro was smiling a bit more subdued.

"DADDY!! Hamaru's waiting for us! Hurry up!" Naruto yelled as he dragged Hiro up with him.

"Aren't you suppose to be _with_ Konohamaru?" Sasuke raised a brow down at his children.

Narutos cheeks flushed but he held his ground and stepped a little in front of his brother. Hiro whispered a quiet, "I told you so" as he stared at his twisting foot.

"Tadao wouldn't come with us so we came to get you and since you said we can't leave him alone and I can't tie him to the benches Hamaru had to stay with him so he did and we had to come by ourselves but we're big now and everyone knows who were are and they won't mess with us cause I'll fry 'em just like you taught me." Naruto grinned again. "Right Daddy?"

Sasuke shook his head, took in a deep breath... then sighed it out and looked back at Gaara. "I'm sure I'll see you again?" he asked without inflection.

Gaara tore his eyes away from the picture of two young boys standing hand in hand in front of their father and the memories that it tried to pry from his mind.

"I'm sure you will." He glance one last time at the boys. "Thank you."

Sasuke said nothing. Simply placed his free hand on Narutos shoulder and turned them toward the crowd. Before they disappeared the boys looked back at him, both smiling and waving.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Neji lounged on one hip and elbow. His free hand holding a cup of sake and his eyes fixed on the woman sitting on her knees across from him. When he'd realized years ago that Gai had a lover it had thrown him. Gai had never seemed the type to keep someone for the simple purpose of sex and not marry them. But as the years went by and no marriage came, he had to wonder if there were things about his sensei he didn't know. When he'd finally met her, he realized there were a great many things about Gai he didn't know or understand. But he'd been right about one thing. Gai didn't keep a lover for simple pleasures.

"I don't know why you keep telling him no. He's not going to give up."

The statement startled Chiharu out of her thoughts and turned her attention from the lights and sounds of the village toward him.

"It's not that simply, Neji." She replied leaning to her own hip and smoothing her kimono.

"Yes it is. Say yes, get married, have a couple of mini Gais..." He paused to consider what he'd just said and shuddered a little. "Okay. Just one mini Gai. But all in all I can see this being a happy ending for both of you."

She smiled almost wistfully at the moon above them. The small garden at this house was a quiet sanctuary for herself and Gai. When Lee had been alive she'd spent many an evening sitting out under the stars speaking with him or simply letting him talk most of the time. Sometime after TenTens death he'd started bringing Neji with him. The Hyuuga had been much quieter but with a little prodding on Lee and Gais part he'd opened up to their small group. She'd been grateful when he'd continued his visits after Lees passing.

"It seems that way but there will always be whispers behind his back that he lowered himself for a whore..."

Neji sat up. "You are _not_ a whore!"

She smiled just a little at his vehement denial. "I thank you for your confidence but what I once was will follow me to my grave no matter what I have become. I will not allow that stigma to follow Gai as well."

"You won't even consider that it doesn't matter to him what you were doing to _survive_ during a war. He doesn't care what others think. Nor do the rest of us." He settled back down on his elbow with a deep frown.

She couldn't help the smile that broke free. "You're a good friend, Neji, and I know you all mean well, but I can't in good conscience marry Gai with my background." She held up a hand to forestall his next argument. "You didn't come here to fight with me over Gais well being. I will not discuss this farther."

She could tell by the set of his jaw he was far from finished with this conversation, but he fell into his silent calm and simply reached out a hand to run fingers over the small pool next to him. The _tock_ of bamboo hitting stone smoothed her ruffled edges and she felt the tension in her shoulders ease.

"So..." She looked back at Neji as he rolled to his back and clasped his hands behind his head. "Did you hear the genin managed to get into Gaaras apartment and nailed all of his sandals to the floor?"

She put her hand over her mouth to hold in the snickering. "I assume he didn't take that well."

"You assume correctly." Nejis sighed. The wind picked up the sound and carried it off along with the other sounds from the festival. "When he saw them that afternoon he buried then in a sand wave. I think the guard would have taken him into custody if Anko hadn't been laughing at her students so hard and berating them for getting caught."

Chiharu gave up on covering her laughter. When she was able, she coughed a few times to loosen her throat. "Were they hurt?" Neji shook his head. "Well. I'm sure they'll think twice before pranking him again."

"Ha!" She turned to look at the dark haired man and saw his complete enjoyment of his friends predicament. "They were seen gathering the components of itching powder yesterday at the hospital."

"Oh dear." She fell into a fit of laughter again.

Finally the two were able to settle once again. They listened to the sound of music, laughter and water running over stones. The _tock_ from the shishi-odoshi echoing over the other sounds. Neji sighed into the quiet and rolled to his side before sitting up.

"Are you ready?" Chiharu asked as she too pulled herself back to her knees.

"As ready as I'll ever be." He replied and leaned over to crawl to her.

"You don't have to, you know." She reached into the folds of her kimono.

"I know." He mournfully replied. "But I think I need to."

0.0.0.0.0.0

Setsu Gogatsu bent down to give her son one last kiss.

"Do you remember everything I have told you?" She asked.

Five year old Taro nodded and stood tall. Swiping at the tears rolling down his cheeks as if they were ants.

"I will come for you if I can. Find your uncle. He will take care of you for as long as that may take."

"Yes, mama."

"You are a brave boy. Strong and kind. Some day you will be a great shinobi. Never forget that I love you and am very proud of you." She brushed a lock of dark brown hair from his eyes.

"Yes, mama." He swallowed then jumped into the arms she opened for him.

Setsu looked toward the door that opened into the darkened room. She nodded acknowledgment of the dark haired, masked man standing in the dim light. Pulling back from her son, she placed her hands on his cheeks and held his gaze.

"You will go with this man. He will take you some place safe. Do not argue with him and follow his instructions exactly." She caressed his cheekbones with her thumbs and fought down the urge to cry.

"What will you do, mama?" Taro sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"I'm going to try and help a friend who's very very sick."

The ANBU at the door looked out as a sound traveled down the halls. Setsu quickly gathered her sons pack and strapped it over his shoulders. She stood and rushed him to the doors as footsteps began to pound down the opposite hallway.

"Be safe." She whispered on a choked sob.

"I love you, mama."

The ANBU took Taros hand and they disappeared in a swirl of inky mist. Setsu turned for the doorway and rushed to the window as voices began sounding from the walls in the hallways. She gave one last look at the surrounding room and the street below. The door crashed in a moment after she'd jumped, the men now searching inside never seeing her chakra walk to the buildings edge and down into the darkened alley below.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Yugao brushed the antiseptic wipe over Kankuros red and swollen face. He was shaking with chills and burning with fever. They were running out of time.

"Kankuro? Can you hear me?"

His breath rattled. "Yes."

She lay a hand on his chest and felt the vibration of fluid with each breath he took. There was no time for delays. She wasn't even sure he would make it through the week.

"This will be the last time I come for healing." His eyes opened a little and she focused on them. "I'm going to use the last of the sealed healing on you now. It should help you through the week."

He nodded then coughed several times. When the tremors that followed slowed and his eyes were slightly less clouded with pain, she continued.

"When I return, you will be leaving this place. You don't need to know the details but you will have to trust me. The guard must think you're dead so to them you will be."

His eyes opened again and she saw the suspicion in them. After enduring countless hours of pain and torture simply because they couldn't hurt the one they really wanted to, he was entitled to suspicion.

"It's a small but effective jutsu. Don't fight it, just let it put you to sleep. We'll take care of everything else. When you wake you'll be with our ANBU. They wear masks. You remember them?"

He gave a small nodded but didn't cough. She lay her left hand on his chest and looked down at the faded dragon tattoo. In only a week the seal would be completely gone. The guard at the doors had laughingly suggested she get it touched up. She'd have to talk to Kakashi about pigments to darken the colors for a little longer. One person noticing was one too many.

"I fulfilled your request. They leave tonight."

His smiled looked painful but no less genuine. She ran a wet cloth over his forehead and behind his neck before releasing the seal and beginning the last of the healing she could accomplish. As she watched his eyes drift closed again and his harsh breathing even out just a little, she prayed he'd make it through the week and the medic being sent to tend him made it to the boarder.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Izanami walked through the house toward the front door.

"I'll be right back, Takako! I think Konohamaru is back with the boys!"

She ignored the complaints that followed. The younger woman had been nothing but a pain all night. Constantly wanting someone to wait on her hand and foot. Actually, she'd wanted Sasuke to do the waiting, but he had even less patience for the womans whining then she did.

She saw the nurse maid standing in the doorway and smiled. "The twins are in the nursery. I'm sorry to call you out tonight but..."

She dodged just in time. The woman flew past her. The kunai in her hand slicing Izanamis cheek. The old nurse maids body fell to the floor as behind her.

"Stupid old woman, just had to see me." The ninja stood. No forehead protector was visible, but her long black hair may have been covering it. "And now you."

Izanami didn't waste time. She turned on her heels and ran for the nursery, slamming the door shut behind her. She could hear Takako screaming from the other end of the hall and ignored her. Taking up a position in front of the cradles, she activated her chakra scalpel and placed her free hand over her slightly distended belly. The boys were due home any moment. Until then she'd protect those she could and pray for those she couldn't.

0.0.0.0.0.0

**You all know what I want. Please give it to me. Please? Hope you enjoyed.**


	18. And To All a Good Night

**Hello again. Hope everyone who celebrates in had a happy Thanksgiving. Just wanted to let everyone know about the poll on my home page. It is directly related to a companion piece I will be doing. Basically all the lemons and limes from this story that are only implied or will never see. I just need a few people to let me know what they think. I'll make most of my decision from the poll. And now, enjoy the next chapter.**

0.0.0.0.0.0

"_Open the door, bitch, or this little girl is minus an ear."_

"_Izanami! Help me!!"_

She stood, sweating, and tried to ignore Takakos plea. How long had she been here? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? She wasn't sure and it didn't matter. She would not leave the twins alone. If it meant the death of every person in this house, she would protect the girls.

"_Izanami!"_

"I'm sorry." She whispered, tears trailed down her cheeks as an inhuman scream tore through the walls and the twins started to cry. Her hand was cramping from holding it in the same position and she was wasting precious chakra holding the scalpel jutsu in place.

"_What's next, bitch? A finger? An eye?"_

She couldn't let her guard down now. She couldn't get tired and give up now. She couldn't think about what was happening on the other side of that door.

"_No! Please, no! Don't hurt me! I'll do anything."_

The last words spoken were inaudible through the door then something slammed against it. Her stomach cramped and twisted as Takako screamed again and again. "I'm sorry." She whispered again as something slid down the door to thump on the floor. Then there was a click and the door opened

"You should have listened, now I'll kill you slowly...for fun." The enemy ninja bounced a senbon between her fingers.

Izanami glance at the heap on the floor then the bloody door. Ignoring the nausea threatening to drop her, she bared her teeth at the advancing enemy and prepared to fight.

0.0.0.0.0.0

The streets were still crowded and the lights bright as Gaara moved toward the home of his team leader. Gai had asked him to stay the night with him and Neji along with Chiharu. He'd been secretly pleased with the invitation. On nights like this it was easy to let the ghosts of the past haunt him when he was alone. He would normally go to the roof of his apartment to watch the stars but the clouds were heavy, hiding the moon and stars. He didn't think watching dark clouds roll by would improve his mood.

"Gaaaaaaaaaara-saaaaaaaaan!"

He had to suppress a chuckle as he turned toward to the edge of the crowd and saw, in the thin spread of people, little Naruto running toward him. The little boy missed a stride and tripped only to immediately roll and get back to his feet. His little legs never stopped moving.

"Gaara-san! Daddy said we could run around as long as Hamaru could see us. Can Hamaru see me?"

Gaara looked back at a smiling Konohamaru and wondered where the fifteen-year-old got enough energy to keep up with these kids. "Hamaru" gave him a thumbs-up and pointed at Naruto. Gaara nodded.

"Yes. He can see you." He smiled down as Naruto blew out a relieved breath.

The crowd shifted and Gaara walked down the less crowded section of the street with Naruto at his side. Konohamaru walked on the opposite side of the street parallel to them, giving the child a sense of freedom while still keeping an eye on him. As Gaara listened to Naruto talking animatedly about starting the academy and training with his father and brother he wondered if the child knew just how closely he was being watched. Konohamaru would make an excellent instructor one day.

"I don't know that man." The boy had stopped and was holding firmly to Gaaras wrist.

Gaara raised his head and looked in the direction where Narutos eyes were fixed. A small group of people, dressed in festive colors, laughed over rice balls and sake at a table outside a restaurant. His eyes wondered over the group but saw nothing. He looked just beyond them at a woman with a small basket of flowers in a soft brown robe with a sweet smile and a man in plain clothing with plain hair and wide brown eyes. He had just enough time to recognize the man's face before he heard Konohamaru yell. He turned to look at the younger shinobi and felt wind by his ear as the kunai aimed for his head missed the target and _thunked_ into the post above Naruto. Gaara jerked the hand still holding his arm and the little blond fell into him as two more kunai came out of the darkened alley beside them. Throwing up a sand shield, he curved himself around the boy while people finally realized what was happening and began to scream and scatter.

"Stop there!" Two ninja Gaara had only meet in passing sailed over their head and into the alley after the unseen attacker.

Gaara, lifting from his crouch over Naruto, scanning the street for the wide eyed sand shinobi he'd seen moments before someone had tried to put a hole in his head. He spotted him heading for the south end of the village and readied himself to pursue.

Suddenly the ground shook beneath them and Narutos grip on his arm tightened. In the same moment the ground cracked open in front of the retreating man and a geyser of water sprayed him in the air. Gaara had only a moment to wonder where the shinobi was who'd preformed the well placed jutsu when the water abruptly ceased. The man floated for a moment as if suspended before falling back to earth screaming piteously. The screaming and the fall stopped the moment his face landed on Chojis enlarged fist.

The sand flowed back into Gaaras gourd as he scanned their surroundings and found Udon and Konohamaru with Hiro, Tadao, Tsunade and Kurenais son, Hidekatsu. Choji was lifting the unconscious sand shinobi from the ground by his neck. Gaara noted the man wasn't wearing a forehead protector of any kind and his clothes were bland and unremarkable. Had he not known the face he might have thought he was just another villager. Shikamaru came around the corner and headed in one direction while Moegi came from a shop two stores back and headed in the other. They tended any minor injuries from the small riot while making sure there were no other threats in the immediate area.

The hand around his wrist loosened and Gaara looked down into large blue eyes that couldn't decide if they were frightened or excited. Those bright eyes glanced at the gourd on his hip then shifted quickly back to him.

"Does the sand talk to you?" Naruto whispered in quiet awe.

Gaara squatted in front of him and rested his elbows on his knees, letting his hands dangle loosely. He saw Sasuke coming up behind them as he leaned in and whispered to the boy.

"It used to, but not anymore."

"What did it say?" Narutos eyes widened just a little more.

"Nothing worth repeating." Gaara hedged.

Narutos awed expression slipped seamlessly into an evil grin. "It said bad things didn't it?"

Gaara considered some of the things Shukaku had told him and shown him in the past. None of it was topic for discussion with a five-year-old. Especially one that had just turned five and had a mind like a sponge.

"Are you alright?" Sasuke bent to his son and ran his hands over the boy in what might have been considered a clinical way if Gaara hadn't seen the captive fear in his eyes.

"I'm okay, Daddy. But did you see what Moegi did?! That guy flew WAY up in the air and then she just…" He made a wild slashing motion with his hand. "… cut it off! That was so cool!"

Sasuke smiled as he lifted Naruto into his arms but Gaara blinked wide eyes as he looked toward the orange-haired girl now helping an injured woman to a side bench.

"Yes. Yes it was. And I'm sure she would be ecstatic to hear your praise. But right now I think I need to take you to the hospital and have you checked out."

"But Daaaaadyyyyyy!" The blonde wailed.

Both men winced at the high whine and looked across the street to see Konohamaru walking toward them. Naruto quieted and pushed against Sasukes hold when he saw his brothers. Hiro was crying quietly while Tadao rested his head and Konohamarus shoulder and snuffled. Little Tsunade and Hidekatsu were holding onto each of his pants legs.

"Are they alright?" Sasuke asked eyeing the children with that same leashed fear.

"They're fine. Just shaken up. I'm going to take them back to the house. Unless you want to take them to the hospital?"

Naruto finally wriggled free and bounded over to Hiro. Gaara watched as he turned his back to the younger boy and looked over his shoulder. Slowly, those small pale hands draped themselves over the blonds shoulders and Hiros dark head came to rest on one of those arms. His tears slowed almost immediately and Naruto lifted his arms across his own chest to link his hands with his brothers.

"No. You're right. They'd be better off at home and…"

A shrill call sounded over the commotion of the street. Moments later Gai dropped from the roof of the building closest to them and walked toward their group.

"Uchiha-san, you and your family need to report to the hospital immediately. Gaara, you're with me."

Gaara didn't ask questions as he followed Gai back to the roof tops. Since Gai only ever addressed Sasuke as Sasuke-_kun_, this must be a serious situation. And from the sickly pale green parlor of Sasukes skin as another shinobi was explaining the situation and ushering him toward the hospital he was pretty sure it was bad.

0.0.0.0.0.0

"The last one was brought in by Hinata and the Hyuuga guard ten minutes ago." Shizune read from the stack of reports in her arms. "I'm not sure how much he's going to be talking. We may have to wire his jaw shut to heal it."

"Give him to Ibiki. I'm sure he can find a way to get any information we may want." Tsunade tapped the end of her brush on the desk and stared at a point on the far wall.

"Gaara-san has identified six of the seven we have here. He wasn't able to identify the one from the Uchiha compound." Shizune swallowed.

The reason for that made Tsunade close her eyes and do a little swallowing of her own. The intruder had apparently intended to kill everyone in the house to leave no witnesses. She hadn't counted on one of Sasukes wives being skilled enough to be jounin. Izanami hadn't left much of the ninja and had attack Aoba Yamashiro as he'd tried to help her from the pile of gore left on the floor of the nursery. She was currently under watch. No one was certain yet, if she'd lose the baby.

"Have him identify the last if he can. I want him under Gais thumb tonight. We'll meet in the morning and figure out where to go from here." She focused her eyes on her assistant. "I think it's safe to say they intend to invade Konoha."

Shizune only bowed her head then quietly left the office.

"So, were you sending scouts or plants?" Tsunade mused aloud and stood to look out over the village. "What are you planning to do next?"

0.0.0.0.0.0

Sasuke opened the door and rested his eyes on the small figure curled up on the bed next to his wife. Hiro shifted his head away from the sudden light and snuggled deeper into the sheets and Izanamis side. Her arm lifted and softly touched the boys dark hair.

"I didn't mean to wake you." Sasuke said as she looked up at him.

"I wasn't asleep. Though my head still feels a little fuzzy." She lifted her hand from Hiro and touched it to her own forehead.

"Sakura said it's from the shock. You should be alright by tomorrow afternoon." He motioned toward their son. "I came to get Hiro. Choji has offered to let us raid his home for the night. Iruka is going to watch the twins."

Izanami raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure he's not…?"

"No. He has a rather steady girlfriend he thinks no one knows about."

"Meaning everyone does." She shook her head. "He has such an affinity for children."

"A fact his non-existent girlfriend loves about him."

They smiled at one another. Sasuke turned away first.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left. I just couldn't deal with her…"

"Is she dead?"

The question was asked so mildly it caught Sasuke off guard. He looked back toward his first wife, his older more dependable wife, and saw the anger and hatred in her eyes. He studied her a moment before answering in as conversational a tone as he could manage.

"No. One of her ears had been split but it was repaired and won't show a scar. The tip of one finger was severed. It will take some time for it to heal but the damage isn't anything more than cosmetic. Some hard bruising and a nasty knot on her head."

She was silent for a moment as she absently brushed her fingers through Hiros hair. Sasuke moved closer to the bed to make sure she was alright and saw the tears starting to form in her eyelashes.

"The moment I saw her I did the only thing I could. I ran. Takako was on one end of the hall and the girls were on the other. She was going to kill all of us. I didn't want to make a mistake and assume she wouldn't kill the children. I ran to the nursery and locked myself in with the girls, praying Takako would stay quiet… if she had just stayed quiet." She pulled her hand away from Hiro and bunched her fists in her lap. Unsure what to do, Sasuke simply sat and waited. After several deep breaths, she continued.

"She started yelling for me to hurry up. I don't even remember what she wanted. But a few minutes later she started screaming." She sucked in a shaking breath and looked up at him. "If I opened the door and couldn't kill her, we were all dead. I knew she'd use Takako to get to me. I knew she'd torture her to get me to open the door. I've never been so sick in my life trying to ignore her screaming."

Hiro shifted restlessly on the bed, making Izanami flinch a little. Sasuke hurried over to the other side of the bed and gripped her shoulder.

"Is it cramping again? Do you need the medic?"

She shook her head as the pained expression began to slowly fade from her face. He wiped the sweat from her forehead and considered calling the medic anyway when she abruptly threw her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. Stunned by the sudden display, Sasuke floundered over where to put his hands and how tight to hold her.

"I'd gladly listen to every scream again and _enjoy_ them!"

"What?" Sasuke tried to pull her back gently but she had too strong a hold on him.

"She opened the door for that bitch. She opened the door and let that woman in the room with her children just so she wouldn't get hurt." Her nails bit into his shoulders.

"She knew that woman was going to kill me. Even if she didn't know she would kill the girls she knew she was going to kill _me_!" She sobbed audibly. "And she let her in that room!"

Sasuke took a minute to absorb what she'd just told him. He knew this woman wasn't prone to exaggerations but she was under considerable stress. She might have misinterpreted the situation. But he couldn't shake the report he'd seen. The fact that the door hadn't been forced, the lock hadn't been damaged and the key had still been in it.

"I'll talk to her in the morning. We'll take care of this." He pulled back from her and rubbed her arms awkwardly.

"If this baby dies, I want her head." There was venom lacing each word.

Hiro stirred and lifted his head before Sasuke could reply.

"Mommy?" He called sleepily.

She jumped as if she'd forgotten he was there and her whole demeanor changed. She turned toward him and leaned just a little to kiss the top of his head. When she winced Hiro frowned and got to his knees on the bed.

"Are you hurt, mommy?"

She touched his cheek with a shaky hand and Sasuke stood to walk to the opposite side of the bed.

"Only a little, baby. I'll be fine. But you should be in bed."

He snorted and Sasuke cleared his throat. "No rude noises, young man. At least not to your mother."

Izanami rolled her eyes and ruffled her sons' hair. "Go with your father."

Hiro kissed her cheek and slipped off the bed. With a last look at his wife, Sasuke walked Hiro out of the room and closed the door. Choji was waiting just down the hall and Hiro hurried to catch up with his two brothers while Sasuke slowed then stopped and grabbed the arm of the nearest medic assistant.

"How long before Takako Uchiha regains consciousness?" He asked mildly.

The young man blinked a few times then made an "ah" sound as he flipped through a small clipboard.

"She should be able to take visitors by tomorrow afternoon, Uchiha-san. If you'd like…"

Sasuke looked down the hall at his boys then back at the medic. "I asked when she would be conscious. Not when she could have visitors."

The medic started to protest until he noticed Sasukes eyes were no longer their soft black but a violent red that seemed to spiral around the pupil.

"Tomorrow morning, with the Hokages permission."

Sasuke let the man go and with a muttered "Thank You" went to join his children.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Gaara woke from his nightmares to his own screams. Lifting a hand to his face, he wiped the sweat from his eyes before they started stinging. He'd not had dreams like this one in years and they were more disturbing now that he had so many new nightmares to build from.

Shaking out the sheets he looked out his window at the cloud shrouded moon and wondered if he'd get any sleep tonight. He'd just gotten comfortable sleeping in his own little apartment and though he appreciated Gais hospitality and understood the need for him to stay under watch tonight, this large comfortable room felt wrong to him. The bed was too large, the room too open and … it simply wasn't his. Perhaps it reminded him too much of a life he'd just recently decided he needed to leave behind. The sharp reminder of the life he'd once had was twisting the images in his mind.

His dreams had been full of images of people dieing and his inability to stop it. Only the people dieing would switch faces from one moment to the next until he wasn't sure who he was holding in his arms as they took their last breath. And more disturbing were the images of killing an enemy only to pull the mask away and find a friend staring back at him with accusing eyes.

Sighing he smoothed the sheet back onto the bed and sat on the edge. He was debating a walk in the garden when the outer door to his room slid open and Neji stepped inside.

"Are you alright?"

Heat flooded his face was a realized Neji must of heard him screaming. He hadn't thought about how thin the walls were or that Neji was next door to him.

"I'm fine. Nightmares. Nothing I can't deal with."

Neji looked at the now made bed and raised both brows. Gaara returned the look with a glare and reached for his boots only to have them kicked out of his way as Neji advanced. In moments he found himself pushed back into the bed and rolled to his side. Then Neji crawled in behind him. He was ready to ask what the hell the white eyed freak thought he was doing when he felt Nejis arm rest over his waist.

He jerked upright and tried to scramble out of the bed.

"What the hell are you doi…"

Neji grabbed his arm and dragged him back into the bed. The Hyuuga pressed him down into the sheets and wrestling him to his side to, once again, draping an arm over his waist.

"Just stay still. Close your eyes and go to sleep." Neji murmured.

Gaara, his eyes bugging as his mind raced, tried to pull away but found that Neji wasn't going to give. He had, in fact, poised the fingers of his restraining hand in position to cut off one of his lower chakra points.

"I believe I told you before that I wasn't interested in men." Gaara tried to say dryly though he was pretty sure he sounded desperate.

"And I believe I told you I had no interest in anyone." Neji replied. "Now go to sleep. If you have another nightmare I'll wake you up before it gets bad."

Seeing no way to get out of this without calling his sand and causing the man serious physical pain, and sensing he really didn't mean any harm in his actions, Gaara tried to relax enough to at least feign sleep. Perhaps if Neji thought he was out he'd release him and then he'd make his escape.

"And Lee said _I_ was a pain in the ass." Neji mumbled sarcastically.

"I have to agree with him but what has that got to do with me?"

Neji was quiet for a moment, then chuckled. The vibrations of his chest against Gaaras back might have been appealing had the chest been softer and the chuckle had a higher pitch.

"After TenTen died I spent a lot of time with Lee, trying to understand how he coped. He was always so… emotional I just couldn't understand why her loss didn't hit him harder. I quickly found out that Lee was very good at taking everything in stride."

Neji shifted a little and Gaara tensed up as parts of his friend that shouldn't have been touching him, touched him. After a moment he realized those parts had absolutely no interest in being there and relaxed… a little.

"We'd stayed here one night and I was having trouble sleeping. Lee came in, crawled in the bed and proceeded to spoon up against me. Needless to say, I didn't take it well."

Gaara wasn't so sure about that since he didn't seem to be having any trouble doing it now. Though, to be honest, Neji was currently in a more dominant position. Maybe he was fine with it as long as he wasn't the girl.

"He told me to relax, close my eyes and go to sleep. Since I'd just found out he was see Sasuke I was having trouble relaxing."

Gaara whipped his head around then winced when his got a cramp in it from the sharp movement. This only made Neji chuckle again.

"Hadn't heard about that, eh?"

Gaara growled. "It was implied but I didn't catch on to the implication."

That made Neji laugh and the whole bed shake. Gaara tried to brace himself to keep from falling farther into Nejis body but gave up when the man simply tugged with his arm and pressed him harder against his chest.

"Well, if it makes any difference, Lee was the kind of guy who took absolutely everything in stride and as long as it made you happy and strengthened you in some way, he would try it."

Gaara nodded and tried to ignore how warm Neji was and how soothing the sound of his voice was.

"But as I was saying, he told me to relax and sleep. I thought it was going to be impossible and I argued and fought over it. And before I knew it I was asleep."

Gaaras lids drooped lower over his eyes and he hummed his understanding, too tired to speak.

"In the morning he woke me up and left the room. We never talked about it, but the message was simple. He always had my back."

"You miss him." Gaara mumbled sleepily.

"Yeah, I do." He felt Neji settle deeper into the pillow.

"Sometimes Kankuro slept with me. I didn't sleep but I could relax with him next to me." Gaara yawned and his jaw popped.

"What did you do while he slept?"

"I read a lot."

"Un."

They fell silent for a while and Gaaras mind drifted just on the edge of sleep. The heat at his back and the soft scent of clean cold air combined with the sound of water flowing over smooth rock lulling him.

"Why didn't you go back? I always wanted to know. You could have gone back as soon as you were able to walk. No one would have stopped you." Neji whispered.

Gaara wasn't so sure. There were sure to be a few who would have stopped him. Maybe not for the reasons Neji was thinking, but there were other reasons to keep him here. So why hadn't he left?

"I thought about it. More than once, but…" Sighing he rolled to his back, barely noticing the arm now draped over his stomach. "If I had gone back I would have died before I reached the desert. Even with the sand I'm not sure I could have made it to the gates. I'm not afraid of dieing but had I come back all of those people would have paid. Whether they betrayed me or not, I couldn't let them suffer for my pride. And if there is a chance that Kankuro is still alive, I don't want to be the reason he dies."

He felt the warm air blowing softly and rhythmically against his cheek. He turned his head slightly. Nejis eyes were closed but the veins at his temple were standing out.

"Can you see through your own eyelids?"

A tight lipped grin curved Nejis mouth. "Yes. And to answer your next question, I can see in the dark without having to adjust."

"That must be convenient." Gaara snorted sarcastically.

"It is."

"You're not going to sleep with that on are you?"

The veins smoothed out leaving his temple a perfectly creamy white. Gaara stuck his tongue out. When Neji didn't respond, he settled on his back and closed his eyes.

"You realize we're giving the rumor mill a lot of fodder right now."

Neji snorted. "I'm not telling if you're not."

It was Gaaras turn to snort. "Those brats have an annoying habit of finding out _exactly_ what I'm up to."

Neji chuckled. "Don't worry. The worst they could do is say we were in bed together." He seemed to think about it for a moment. "Maybe that we were… cuddling."

Gaara groaned loudly and with feeling.

"Don't worry about it." The sleepy white-eyed man continued. "Just go to sleep."

They settled again, Nejis breathing evened out and Gaara relaxed into the sheets but his mind wouldn't stop working.

"I wonder who they think is the seme?"

A pillow hit him squarely in the face and both me dissolved into laughter.

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**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please feel free to review. I love reviews. **


	19. Surprising Developments

**I just wanted to remind everyone about the poll on my home page. So you know, I'm only going to do six of the pairings so I need more than five votes and at least one has got to be a tie breaker. And thanks to allisonette, xHyuugaxSamax, and Kaotic312 for your reviews this last chapter. And thank you Come-by-chance for the review before that. I hope you continue to enjoy or dislike the story, as long as you read it.**

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Shiga waved goodbye to his "wife" and set out to the main gates of Suna to meet the rest of his convoy. Kakashi sighed and ruffled his far too short hair. It was early and he was on time. When he finally got his hands on Kanaye Sasaki he was going to gut him for his current sleep deprivation not to mention having to cut and dye his hair. Of course, from what Yugao had been telling him, he might have to share the prize.

"Hey, Shiga! Hurry the hell up! We ain't waitin' all mornin'!" He recognized Mamoru; one of the men sent to 'guard' the genin and their sensei as they traveled.

"Right, right. I'm here so we can be going." He slouched lazily past him.

The group lifted their packs and other gear. Kakashi took a moment to study the people around him. He didn't know the genin. He'd have to familiarize himself with the kiddies before the trip was out. Luckily they were going to take the full five days instead of the quick three. That would give him plenty of time to study this mix matched group. He knew the guards weren't just a precaution but until he found out their total purpose as well as the thoughts and feelings of the student half of their group, he couldn't' make his move.

"Alright, kiddies. Lets get moving. I want to make the trees by nightfall." Kin called from the front of the group.

Kakashi blinked but held his tongue. That was far faster than they were suppose to be moving. At the speed the man wanted to move, they'd be at their destination in just under three days. He glanced at Haya, flanking the right. Her face showed nothing. Nor did Mamorus. Only the sensei and students showed concern or confusion.

"Why the rush?" Matsuri spoke up from the front of her cell. "The exams aren't for five days. If we move slowly and steadily we won't need rest before the exams start and will show greater strength for it."

Kin didn't look back but he did stiffen. "There's been a change of plan. The Kazekage wishes for the genin to be comfortable in the village before the exams. He feels they will preform at their peek if they have time to acclimate themselves."

Kakashi saw her get ready to state the obvious, that doing that defeated the purpose. They didn't want the students comfortable and all shinobi had to deal with the unknown more often than not. As an excuse it was weak. He knew it, and as she closed her lips tightly together on her comment he realized she knew it to. So, Gaaras students was smart and capable of biding her time. That could work in his favor. He spared a glance for the other teacher. He'd have to get his name later.

"Kane-sensei?" One of the genin, a young girl with straw brown hair, pulled lightly at her teachers sleeve. "Are we going to be able to keep up with..."

The man put his hand on the young girls shoulder and smiled down on her. Kakashi vaguely remember seeing him years ago when Gaara had been kidnapped. He watched Kane briefly ruffle her hair as he offered quiet words of encouragement. The girls smiled and nodded then moved back into step with the two boys on her team. He noted the wrapped bundle on her back and realized with a smile that she was a puppeteer.

"What's so funny?" One young boy sneered snottily.

Kakashi simply raised a brow and pulled out his book. This years exams were going to be interesting. In more ways than one. He only hoped no one died.

0.0.0.0.0.0

By midmorning Konoha was a buzz with activity. The nights festival and attack had the village on high alert. Shinobi patrolled the gates in fours. Anbu were coming through the gates at regular intervals. All teams had been called in and were sent out on patrol.

Gaara thought as he walked, sweaty and now cold, back through the gates that perhaps Tsunade had been right. Maybe the reason he and those he'd trusted hadn't noticed the change was because this group had pulled a page from the Akatsuki. Only they'd started with one and built on it. Suna had been low on shinobi after the attack five years prior. If a man were smart he could find a way to move his people in, one at a time, and infiltrate an entire village without being noticed. He'd argued that they'd been careful since they'd already found one traitor. She'd gently reminded him that a member of his council was now the Kazekage. The rest of the meeting was spent convincing Gai that Gaara wasn't upset by the comment and there was no need to challenge the Hokage for her lack of tact. He liked the man and he liked Chiharu. He didn't want to see her a widow before she became a bride.

Neji looked to the station guard and waved but instead of moving ahead he walked over to speak with them. Not something he usually did but then the whole morning had been strange. When they'd woke, Neji had slipped from the room without saying a word and hadn't joined them for breakfast. Then breakfast had been postponed by an early meeting and perimeter patrol. Gaara shrugged off the issue of strange friends and stranger enemies as they moved into the village proper and food. He was starving.

"We have another perimeter patrol this afternoon. We should meet at the gates after lunch." Gai was saying as they passed a group of young women pouring over a magazine.

"Why not just eat lunch together before we go?" Sakura asked then saw Gais face flush pink. "Oh, no. You're right. We'll meet after lunch. That should give us plenty of time to deal with some... business before hand."

Gaara tried the push the image of Gais "business" from his mind as they all stepped behind Sakura into the ramen shop then stopped. She looked around a moment then blushed herself.

"I'm sorry. It's still habit to come here. We'll go down the..."

"Here is fine." Gaara walked past her and took a seat at the bar. Gai followed suit.

"Oh... alright!" She moved into the seat next to Gaara and nudged his elbow.

Turning his head to face her, he offered her the same small smiled he offered any friend. Since the one night they'd spent together they'd had little time to talk at least that's what he kept telling himself. In reality, he was avoiding the conversation and he knew it. It wasn't that he wanted anything from her. On the contrary, he wanted her to let it go and pretend it had never happened. But Sakura was determined and he knew, eventually, she'd corner him. He wasn't looking forward to it. But, for now, the smile was enough and she matched it with a tip of her lips then turned and waved a hand to order.

"Um... excuse me."

Gaara turned at the timid tap on his shoulder and was faced with a young villager carrying a copy of the magazine he'd been seeing all over the village since their return.

"Yes?" He raised a brow and glanced at the book. Not a magazine but a sketch book. Then back at the girl. Her face turned tomato red and her companion actually squeaked and giggled. He had a very bad feeling about this.

"I can't believe it. It really is him." The younger of the two, a girl with dark hair and sun kissed skin flipped through the book until she came to a sketch of two people on a bed. Feathers from a torn pillow cascaded over their heads as they lay on their sides laughing with one another.

"I take it you've seen the newest rage since Icha Icha Yaoi."

Gaara barely registered Nejis voice as he stared at the image and himself and the Hyuuga rolling with laughter after a verbal battle over who was more of a man and a physical pillow fight to prove it. The photo, however, was suspiciously unfinished which made perfect sense as the genin who'd signed the sketches were the same who'd sold tickets to see them naked in the baths. He had to admit, at least one of them was an excellent artist with a superb eye for detail.

"I told you they'd find a way. They always find a way." He said softly as the girls pulled the book away from his line of vision.

"Find a way to... whoa!" Sakura grabbed the book in Nejis outstretched hand and held it up to study the pictures inside. "Whoa!" She flipped a page and turned back to drop the book on the counter and lean in closer.

Groaning, Gaara rubbed both hands over his face and looked back at the white eyed man sporting red tinted skin. "How many pages are in that book?"

"Twenty five." Neji ground out between clenched teeth, his color getting higher by the second. "A couple had us a lot closer than either of us have ever been to one another."

Gaara nodded and mentally tallied all the copies he'd seen just since enter the village this morning. The brats worked fast. He was contemplating the best way to kill said brats when a blond streak blew past them and squeezed between himself and Sakura.

"Move over forehead! I've been trying to get my hands on a copy of this all morning." Ino cried shouldering her way close to the counter.

"It didn't happen, Ino." Neji groused.

Ino looked over her shoulder at the two of them then smiled widely. "A girl can dream can't she?!"

"I don't know whether to thank the two of you or be jealous." Fudo walked to the bar, a lazy smile on him face. "This is the best morning I've had since we got married... and that was a very good morning."

Nejis ears started steaming. Gaara turned and buried his face in his bowl.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Sasuke stepped into Takakos room and closed the door behind him. The medic by the bed looked up , opening her mouth to remind him of visiting hours then closed it and ran from the room. He ignored her calls for Shizune as he once again closed the door she'd left open and made his way to the bed. She lay there perfectly asleep and nearly unharmed. A small bandage graced the tip of her left finger and her ear was only a little red from the swelling. Her face was completely at ease. Her mind and body untroubled with fear or pain.

"Wake up!" His voice boomed with command and, startled, Takako rose from sleep and blinked up at him.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun." She greeted in her sweetest voice. "I'm so glad to see you! I was so worried!"

The knot in Sasukes stomach loosened a little. She may be materialistic and conniving but this woman wouldn't put others in harms way to save herself. Especially not her own children.

"When that woman started cutting me I thought she was going to kill me!"

He leaned over and pressed a hand to her shoulder. He thought he saw the flicker of a smile before her hair fell to cover her face. "It's alright now. You're going to be fine."

"Izanami! Was she hurt?" The question was sudden and something about the way she asked seemed... off. He shook off the unease. With the trauma she'd suffered she was sure to sound a little off.

"She has a few wounds but mostly she's dealing with shock. Shizune says she will be fine."

"And the baby?"

His eyes filtered to red and he watched the top of her head, her breathing, the way her heart speed up as she asked the question.

"They're still unsure. She's on bed rest for the next week." Her heart rate spiked for a moment then slowed. His eyes narrowed on the top of her head as he reached his free hand and lifted her chin. She resisted for a moment then moved smoothly with him. Fresh tears trailed down her cheeks when she turned her eyes up to meet his.

"Why are you using your eyes? Are we still in danger?"

It was a nice act. The fear hadn't been feigned. But the fear wasn't of intruders.

"How did she get the key to the twins room?"

"What?" She shook off his hands then touched her ear lightly and winced rather convincingly.

"She didn't break the door down. The key was in the door when the others arrived. How did she get the key?"

"She must of pulled it from my pocket when I passed out. I'm starting to feel a little ill. Could you call the medic, please?"

An ice cold ball replaced the knot in his stomach as he looked down into the eyes of his wife. A woman he'd taken to help revive his clan because the council had thought it would be a good match and her family line had strong shinobi. A woman who'd been livid when she came to her wedding and found he'd taken Izanami the prior day as his first wife. A woman who'd petitioned the council to have Naruto removed as the heir because of questionable parentage.

"Did you hire her? Was it just a coincidence that she showed up on the same night as the others?"

"I don't know what you're talking ab..."

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" She fell back into the pillows as he advanced on her. "You're children were in that room! You've not asked about the twins. Not ONCE!"

Real tears ran from her eyes as she scrambled closer to the head of the bed. "She wouldn't hurt the babies! She said she wouldn't hurt the babies! She only wanted..." She gasped and threw her hands over her mouth.

Shaking, Sasuke backed away from the bed. His eyes filled with the horror of childhood memories and a new face to add to his nightmares. "_Was_ it just a coincidence?" She didn't answer.

The door opened behind him but he didn't look. He knew Shizune was here and Tsunade was with her.

"Sasuke-kun. Your wife wants to speak with you." The Hokage said, slowly and carefully.

"Would you have killed Kouhei too?"

Takako delicately dabbed her eyes with the corner of the bed sheet. "No. I won't have to."

A low growl came from somewhere behind him and he heard whispered orders to send out a message. A hand landed on his shoulder and applied firm pressure.

"Go and see your wife." Tsunade turned him toward the door.

The hall way was bright after the dim lighting of the room. He blinked and his eyes bled to black as he turned toward the older blond leader.

"Izanami wants her head if the baby dies."

Tsunades smile was anything but kind. "She'll have to wait in line. But tell her Ibiki sometimes takes requests for friends."

He nodded. "I should have sent her back after Tadao was born."

"The Sharingan can't see everything. The mighty Uchiha are not infallible." His face remained blank and she sighed, pointing to a door at the end of the hall. "Go and see your wife. She needs you."

Nodding he turned and moved down the hall. Three medics ran past him as orders were shouted from the room he'd just left. Stopping at Izanamis door he placed his hand on the handle and turned letting the sounds of Naruto and Hiro chatting together about the proper care of worms filter out the sounds of Takakos angry screams.

0.0.0.0.0.0

"You bring something special for him today?"

It was late in the afternoon when Yugao, in her guise as one of the young puppeteers they'd "replaced", smiled snidely at the guard and waited for him to open the door. The man snorted something about snot nosed brats and kids knowing their place in the falls. It wasn't the first time she'd heard the statement and it worried her.

"Well, I hate to tell you this but go easy on him. He ain't gonna last much longer."

She nodded and walked through the gates and moved to the back of the cell. He was asleep, but only just, and he didn't look much worse than when she'd left him last. A few new bruises and a split lip. His hands were still badly damaged but she could see fresh blood under the nails. He'd been interrogated recently but with so much pain already heaped upon him she doubted he'd even noticed it.

"Kankuro?" She touched him softly and he stirred, moaning as his muscles visibly tightened.

She opened the pouch on the front of her vest and pulled out the small pill. She examined it, noting that it looked much like a soldier pill, before leaning over him. _"Make sure that he swallows it. It will need five minutes to take affect. Explain to him what he's going to feel so he will not fight the process." _The words echoed in her head as she pressed the small pill to his lips.

"Open your eyes and look at me." She said harshly.

His eyes opened just a crack. The whites were almost completely red with broken blood vessels. She smiled to soften the blow of her words and cut her eyes to the door. She'd not used genjutsu for this. They weren't going to be here much longer.

"Open your mouth and swallow this." His lips parted as she pushed the pill between them. "In a few minutes your limbs will feel numb. Don't panic. The sensation will spread to your torso and finally you will feel faint. Don't fight it. Just let it happen. We need this in order to get you out. Nod if you understand." He gave an almost imperceptible nod and even that looked like it hurt.

She heard a scuffle outside the door. Looking around she spotted a small stool and, hooking it with her foot, kicked it into the wall closest to them. Kankuro didn't even flinch at the sound but the guards at the door laughed. Relaxing a little she turned back to her charge and found him smiling.

"You... remind me... of ...my si...ster." He struggled for air for a moment.

Laying her fingers to his lips to stop his speech, she gave him a mock pout. "So this is the 'I love you like a sister' speech?"

He rolled those slitted eyes and gasped. She saw his arms twitch and knew the affects had started.

"Don't fight." She moved the hand to his cheek and pressed lightly. "Just relax and consider this the best sleep you've had in months."

She watched the panic fade a little as he smiled. The facial markings were still swollen but not red and the purple lines seemed to complement this bone structure. She wondered if the man who'd done this had any idea _what_ he'd done. Because though she knew the pain had been extreme, the results had been... beautiful.

"Don't look... like... ... act... like sister... ... there's... difference... ... getting dark..." He frowned and tried to blink.

"Just close your eyes and you won't notice." She pressed against his cheek harder. His harsh breathing was picking up and she knew he was fighting the panic.

"Feels... feels like... ... falling... ... sick..." His body shook involuntarily and he swallowed a twice, his skin paling.

"Relax. You won't fall far." She moved her hand to the pulse at his neck.

"Catch... me..."

She felt the muscles in his neck relax as the pulse slowed. His head rolled lightly to the side and she felt the last beat beneath her fingers then nothing. A trained medic or a Hyuuga would be able to see his systems were still working and his heart was still beating, but they had expected him to die. None of the guard would look too hard and she knew exactly which medic they would be sending. Brushing her hand back over his cheek and into his hair she took a deep breath. They had six hours before the affects would wear off and he would wake up. It was time to get started.

Standing, she straightened her shoulders and put on her best sneer. Then brushed past the body of her charge and went to inform the guards that Kankuro was dead.

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Setsu made every effort to hold the sneer of satisfaction on her face as she examined the body in front of her. _Not a body_, she amended to herself, _he's not dead_. But he looked dead and her heart was slamming in her chest as she told the guards that his lungs and heart had failed.

"Maybe we should run a blade through him? Just to make sure."

Setsu looked up at the older shinobi and quirked her lips while trying not to be sick. If they decided to mutilate him before he could be moved...

"Isn't that a little extreme?" She looked to the woman standing at the back of the room. The woman who'd been with him when he'd "died". She didn't recognize her in this guise, but she recognized the wrap on her back.

"Not from where I'm standing." The older shinobi pulled out a blade and started for Kankuros prone form when the squeak of hinges caught everyones attention.

"The ladies are right, Kyotsu. He's dead and no longer of any use to us, let him have what little peace he can in death."

Setsu bowed formally to the man in front of her. She'd only seen him twice and though he was average in almost every way he commanded attention whenever he entered a room. Kanaye Sasaki was a very dangerous man and by the time they'd figured that out, it had been too late.

"But sir! With all the reports and the disturbance last night, we can't take the chance that..."

"If the lady says he is dead then I have no doubt he is. After all, she's been spending a great deal of time with him. Haven't you, Setsu-chan?"

She watched his eyes. Watched the way they danced in the flickering lights and knew they had been discovered. She only prayed her son got was safe. That all the villagers that could be saved, that hadn't been afraid to run, were safely away. She'd give them all the time she could. The same as Kankuro had. She took one last look at his oh so still face and turned eyes bright with tears back to the man she wished were lying that still.

"Will you lay him with his family?" She didn't wipe the single tear that fell. It wasn't all feigned and she wouldn't deny its small bit of truth freedom.

"Of course." His smile was almost kind. She'd learned what that smile meant the day he'd cut down the Kazekage and his family.

Turning her back on him, she bent and placed a small fisted hand to Kankuros chest and a gentle kiss on his still warm cheek just before the guard grabbed each of her arms and pulled her toward the door.

"Take Gogatsu-san to my office. I think it's time she and I had a little chat." He smiled as he said the last. There was nothing of the warmth she'd seen before in it. Only terrifying eagerness.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Yugao watched them walk out of the door but said nothing. They had managed to stay undetected in the village for much longer than anticipated. She wouldn't think of who they had found or who had betrayed them. Her objective now was to finish this mission and see Kankuro out of this village. She watched him carefully as Kanaye Sasaki reached for the handle of the door.

"Good job, by the way, I couldn't have asked for a better 'accident'."

Swallowing the need to split his skull with a kunai, she bowed and accepted the praise. "I hope my work has been satisfactory, Sasaki-san?"

"It has exceeded expectations. Now, if you will do me the honor of taking out the trash," he made a motion to the body on the cot, "I will see to my next appointment."

He stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. She listened for some time to the sound of footsteps down the hall. When she was at least sure she wouldn't be heard, she bent over Kankuros body and touched his chest. No movement, no beating, just stillness. Breathing in deeply to dispell her fear she lifted her hand and started the seals for the replacement jutsu.

"I pray I've not made a mistake."

Moments later she stepped from the cell with the body draped in the crook of her arm. Glancing back she saw the Kanaye leaned against the wall, watching her. She'd known he wouldn't leave without conformation that she was carrying out a dead body and not walking out with a perfectly living man.

"You'll forgive my lack of faith, but as you've just witnessed, it's been tested a great deal lately."

"Of course, Sasaki-san. I understand a man likes to know he's paid for a job well done." She pulled a short sword from its sheath and abruptly flipped the blade to slide neatly into the back of the body. Blood dripped thinly to the floor as the blade pushed through the other side. "But as you can see, I always do my job well."

He nodded and turned, walking through another door into the dark of the streets. Pushing back her sigh of relief, Yugao shifted the bandaged body of Kankuro to one side and tossed the fake over her shoulder. She'd dispose of it in the desert.

"Time to take out the trash and head home."

She preformed the seals and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Kakashi watched from his post as the guards made a perimeter around the camp, then watched the genin and their sensei observe the actions as well.

Haya walked up to Matsuris and her three students; Mine, Ronin, and Sorano, and stopped to say a few words to the younger woman. Had he not been watching them, he would have missed her hand signal and the small object that landed in young Ronins hand.

Kakashi folded his pack under his head and closed his eye. Ten against two sounded like good odds to him. He'd see what these genin could really do.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Kouhei wiped the blood from his chin and put the last of his kunai back in his pouch. The six men scattered over the ground formed a strikingly perfect circle of red. All that training with Sasuke was paying off.

"So." He turned his attention back to his one surviving attacker and smiled. "Are you going to tell me why you attacked me and how the hell you knew I was hear?"

The ninja spat in his face.

"Oh well," he slipped his hand back into his pouch and cocked his head to the side. "I wonder if I still remember how to do an old fashioned amputation." The man paled as he took out a serrated blade. "Lets find out! That is, unless you've changed your mind?"

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**I feel like I've forgotten something with this. I hope I haven't' but if I have I'll work around it. And I read the shippuuden manga so all of my writing is from my interpretation of what has gone on up to this point. With my own wicked twist, of course. Hope you enjoy. Please review.**


	20. New Arrivals

**My updates will be spotty for a few weeks. I'm moving and Christmas is coming. I'll do my best so don't give up on me. Enjoy the chapter.**

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"They're early."

Konohamaru looked back at Udon and followed the direction of his gaze. A moment later two shinobi walked through the underbrush followed by a group of kids and four more shinobi.

"Oi! You there!" Konohamaru turned and started for the group.

The tallest ninja, with sandy brown hair and an eye patch, turned to look at him as the group came to a halt. All eyes turned and the two leaf shinobi measured up the small convoy. Six young ninja, they assumed were the genin, gave them belligerent looks and both men had to hold back the laughter as they remembered their own reaction to being in a foreign territory for the chuunin exams. Konohamaru turned his eyes back to the adults of the group and pressed the call button on his headset and spoke quietly.

"They're early. To the West." There was a slight crackling noise and then a moment of cawing birds.

"_Got it. On my way to the gates." _Moegi replied over the noise then the headset went silent.

The eye patch ninja cocked his head but showed no outward sign that he was interested or annoyed by the delay. The man next to him, however, was very vocal in his displeasure.

"We have permission to be here!" The ninja growled.

Udon smiled and nodded. "We know and we apologize for holding you up. We weren't expecting you for another two days."

"Is that a problem?" A young man with flat blond hair and a tight smile asked. The genin around him already taking fighting stance.

"No. Not at all." Udon soothed while Konohamaru looked irritated and menacing. "We've simply had a little trouble with bandits lately and..."

"You can _see_ we aren't bandits!" The angry shinobi growled again.

"Yes we can. And we'd like to offer you escort back to the village." He watched the man stiffen to argue and the genin get ready to take offense at the offer. "We are well aware that you are capable of getting there on your own but we'd be remiss in our duty if we allowed the sand delegation to be attacked within our own boarders."

Udon smiled companionably while Konohamaru continued to scowl and on occasion 'tsk' at something beginning said as the angry ninja and another shinobi at the rear of the group carried on a short but heated argument before turning their attention back to the men in front of them.

"Can we expect the same... treatment at your village gates?" The man at the rear of the group asked with polite rudeness.

"We have another teammate who's already informed the gates of your arrival. You will not be detained more than a moment once we reach Konoha. You may go straight to your rooms or move around freely as you please." The bespectacled man looked to his right to catch his teammates eye.

Konohamaru nodded. He two had noticed the brown haired mousy young woman manning one of the genin teams. Both men knew she was as well as her normal position so why was dealing with a genin team? But more importantly to both, they weren't sure what her reception would be when Gais team saw her here.

Udon motioned for them to begin moving and Konohamaru fell into step next to the ninja with the eye patch. There was silence for a moment as they navigated the trees and finally reached the road into the village.

Udon clasped his hands behind his back. "If you don't mind my asking?" There was a grunt from behind them but no one spoke. "The exam roster didn't mention names for the genin team leaders. I was wondering if I could have your names now? It would make things a little easier for the examiners."

"You can have their names when..." The angry shinobi was cut off as the flat haired jounin spoke up.

"I'm Kane. My students are Yukio, Midori and Zinan."

No last names. Neither of the leaf shinobi were surprised. It wasn't uncommon to leave off your family name to save the family, either from harm or disgrace. But they'd not asked for the genin names and there was no reason to give them, since they were listed on the roster. So why offer then information now?

"I am Matsuri. These three are Mine, Ronin and Sorano."

Udon nodded and cut his eyes to Konohamaru who was frowning slightly. "I've met you before Matsuri-san. Congratulations your promotion to sensei."

There was a long pause before angry shinobi piped up again. This time with glee and not a little bite to his voice.

"Their not her team. She's just filling in for their team leader. He died recently."

The smile he heard with those words gave him a cold shiver. Whoever the ninja had been, he hadn't died pleasantly. Udon chanced a glance behind him. The two young girls in Matsuris group had their heads hung low but the boy stood tall and proud... and angry. Ronin glared at the men in front of him with enough heat to burn the flesh from nearly any human body. How the two ninja in front of him didn't feel it was a mystery.

"Sensei is...!" The boy began only to have Matsuri place a firm hand on his shoulder. One of the girls snubbed quietly and wiped her face with the sleeve or her net shirt.

"Ronin." That one word from the eye patch ninja had the boy stiffening but he continued to walk and Matsuri dropped her hand.

The one eyed shinobi turned his back to the boy once again and pulled a book from his vest. After a moment more of silence the gates of the village came into view. Udon turned and walked backwards while Konohamaru continued to walk facing forward.

"I am sorry for the loss of your sensei and team mate. I'm sure you will do well in these exams to honor his memory." Three heads bobbed once. "I look forward to seeing you all again over the next few days. The young woman at the gate will give you your room assignments and answer any questions you might have."

Konohamaru put his hand to his ear piece and stiffened. He cut a look to Udon and made a short series of hand gestures. Udon turned as his teammate veered from the group and disappeared into the trees.

"Is there a problem?" The eye patch ninja asked as Udon smiled warmly at them.

"Nothing you need to worry with. Moegi?"

She stepped from the guard station and smiled while going over the faces in the group. She blinked twice when she saw Matsuri then stepped toward the group.

Udons droopy eyes remained on their little convoy as he discretely gave the same series of hand signals to Moegi. "I will leave you in Moegis capable hands. Now, if you'll excuse me."

The group watched him take off into the trees after his comrade. Once he was out of site, Moegi took the group through the gates, the angry shinobi protesting loudly over standard admission papers and procedures.

Udon watched them for a moment before leaping to the tree tops and heading in the direction of the carved signs in the bark. He gave a thought to why that eye patch ninja had such a familiar smile and where he'd seen that book before then shrugged it off to follow more pressing matters. Konohamaru had motioned there was a man down and an intruder. Seemed it was their day for unexpected guests.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Tsunade wasn't surprised by the report from her torture division leader. After all, Tatako Uchiha was simply a civilian who'd thought she could play war and win.

"All of the infiltrators were attempting to take positions in founding family staff service. It's one of the reasons they weren't picked up immediately. When the established servants began to notice something strange they told their head of household." Ibiki shook his head.

"And the nurse maid for the Uchiha twins naturally told Takako about the strange woman." Tsunade ventured.

"Apparently she was attempting to gain entrance for another position but Hiro didn't like her on site so Sasuke wouldn't hire her. When Takako found out she was still around she approached her. The woman was from her home village."

That got Tsunades attention in more ways than one. The blond stood from her seat and leaned over the desk. "She wasn't from the sand?"

"No, Hokage-sama. She was not. If I recall she is from the Grass country."

Tsunade watched Ibiki with a careful eyes. "What else?"

Ibikis eyes hardened. "In exchange for taking out Sasukes first wife, she gave them the location of the medic who would be meeting our retrieval team." Tsunades eyes widened and her face began to mottle. "Luckily, she didn't know who or what was being transported or when they'd be meeting, only who'd been sent and when he'd left."

"So most likely Hirasi-san was followed from the moment he left." The blond nodded and dropped into her chair once again. "I've already sent out a message bird. We'll find out in another day or two if he received it." She'd given explicit instructions that she was to be contacted the moment the medic made contact with the retrieval party and information on the status of the 'package'.

"The plan was for the intruder to henge into the nurse to get in the house. Apparently the old woman put up a fight and Izanami caught her before she could make her escape. She then turned on Takako and used her as bait. She claims the ninja wouldn't have hurt her or the twins. She offered her a considerable sum."

Tsunade nodded. They'd gone through all of the attacks with each of the surviving prisoners. The Hyuuga had found their spy with apparent ease. He'd been carrying weapons no civilian would have and hadn't counted on the cook being a member of the branch family and having a fairly decent grasp of the byakugan. He'd been dealt with within moments of stepping into her domain. The Aburames had caught theirs with nearly as much ease, though the man was a little worse for ware and babbling incoherently after his capture. There had been five others including the one Choji had brought in. They found the one that attacked Gaara and young Naruto at the gates. A returning ANBU had run him through with a short sword. He lived long enough to get to the hospital and the moment they let him go he took a suicide capsule. She'd like to say they'd been lucky to find Takako, a more than willing informant, though she might not know much. But she shuddered to think how long that element had been living in their village and what kind of information, knowingly or otherwise, she passed along to a country sending assassins and spy's.

"If we are done with her, I'd like permission to carry out the execution and..."

"No."

That one word gave Ibiki pause and he looked into his Hokages eyes. "What do you mean by 'no'?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. No. You can't order the execution." She pulled out a file and riffled through the papers. "As much as I would love to give that order I can't. Sasuke will have to make that decision."

Ibiki made a very rude noise and opened his mouth to give his opinion on Sasuke Uchihas reliability when Tsunade apparently found the paper she was looking for and waved it in front of him.

"Her family had very specific details written into the marriage contracts. She can't die on Konoha soil. In fact, her death within the Fire country itself will be considered suspect. I'd originally thought they were making sure he couldn't just get an heir off of her then get rid of her."

"I thought he had the contracts written so he would retain custody of any children were she to die or leave the Uchiha house." The contracts had taken weeks and the deal had nearly fallen through when Izanami had signed the exact same agreement in less than twenty four hours, gaining her the position of first wife.

"He did. But the death must be natural or with just cause otherwise she has to leave of her own accord." Tsunade trailed off in thought for a moment before picking back up on another line. "No. She didn't know about the attacks before hand."

"I have to agree." Ibiki answered. "But she knows more than she's telling. And considering her willing participation, I think we can argue that it's enough for an execution."

"Maybe we aren't asking the right questions." The blond mused.

Deciding he wasn't going to get an answer on that discussion any time soon he moved on to another requested he wasn't sure she would accept. "I've already ascertained that our initial information on Kanaye Sasaki is incorrect. What we've learned from just Takako suggests that he may not be the leader or that he has a much wider grasp than we first believed. And from the information Gaara-san has given me about the takeover of Suna..."

"Just go ahead and tell me because I know I'm not going to like it." She watched his set expression with a frown.

"In light of this information may I request an interview with all shinobi brought into the village in the last five years under special contract."

Tsunade reached for the bottle hidden behind a stack of papers. "Will this be a formal interrogation or a simple interview?"

The scarred shinobi kept his eyes on her head as she poured a cup of sake and stared at its contents "We will begin with interviews and if I feel it is necessary take them in for interrogation."

"If you feel it's necessary." She repeated dully and downed the contents of the cup. She sighed after a moment and put the empty cup on the desk in front of her. "Compile a list and narrow it down to those most highly suspect. I leave it to you to establish acceptable parameters. I'll review your requests as soon as you're finished."

He bowed low. "Yes, Hokage-sama." Straightening, he turned and pulled the door open.

"Ibiki?"

He turned and looked at the outstretched cup in her hand.

"Have a drink with me. I think we're both going to need it."

Closing the door he walked back to the desk and took the offered cup. She smiled and clinked her own cup against his.

"Here's to surviving the next two weeks." Tsunade downed the cup Ibiki nodded in firm agreement and followed suit.

0.0.0.0.0.0

"We need a medic over here!" Konohamaru bent over the ANBU while Iruka dealt with the young boy who'd been with him.

He'd come as instructed only to find four jounin standing stock still and staring at a small boy holding a short sword in one hand and a kunai in the other. It was obvious the boy had no idea how to use them but the blade was ANBU issue and he knew several of them used poison kunai. He was preparing to move in when he saw something move behind the kid and instead quietly had sneaked in behind to find the masked ninja attempt to move then fall completely still. With the mask on he couldn't see the mans face but his chest rose and fell in shallow movements which was not a good sign. When the boy realized he'd been outmaneuvered he turned on Konohamaru only to be taken from behind by the other jounin. Now Iruka was trying to calm the boy and find out who he was and what he was doing here.

"Eiri went for one. We need to move him to the hospital." Konohamaru touched the clammy skin and had to agree. If they didn't move him...

"No!" The scream came from the young boy now fighting against Irukas hold. "The more he moves the worse it gets! Don't move him!"

They all stopped and Iruka turned the young boy to face him, squatting down once again to his level. "How do you know that? Did he tell you that?"

The boy studied the forehead protector in front of him for a moment. "You're not wearing a mask, but you have a leaf on your head."

Iruka nodded. "The mask makes him a special kind of ninja. But we are all of the leaf."

The boy looked over just as Konohamaru was pulling the mask from the ninjas face. "He said he wouldn't die until we got home. Is this home?"

Iruka nodded. "Yes it is."

Konohamaru peeled the mask back as Udon joined the group. Raido groaned along with both chuunin when Sais peaceful face came into view.

"He got scratched by the puppet." the young boy sniffed a little then straightened his shoulders and glared at Iruka. "I told him what my mother said. I told him we had to go back and get the anti- anti- the stuff!"

Iruka rubbed the boys back as Sakura dropped from the treetops with Neji, Gaara and Gai close behind. She moved Konohamaru out of the way and started looking over Sais very still body.

"He's still alive, but barely." She lifted a small light and looked into his eyes, with a sigh and dropped the pen to her side. "What happened?"

"Puppeteer apparently." Raido said, quietly moving up next to her.

"I told him!" The boy was yelling as Iruka began moving him away from the group and toward the village. "I told him he was going to die! He said he'd have to run faster!" At this, the small boy began to cry in earnest though he refused to admit the tears were there. "He said it was is mission and he didn't fail his missions."

Iruka rubbed his back and walked between Neji and Gaara toward the visible tree line and the village beyond. Gaara watched their backs as they went while Neji moved closer to Sakura and the body of her former teammate.

"He's in a coma. I don't know when they were attacked but it looks like the poison is pretty wide spread. Gaara?" The red head turned from the Irukas retreating back to look at her solemn face. His own eyes were a little too wide but he quickly regained his composure. "Whats the common puppeteer poison?"

He looked down at the man lying perfectly still in the crushed leaves while the faint green light from Sakuras hands cast shadows on his face. "If he's in a coma, I'm not sure even Tsunade can save him. Puppeteers started using a modified version of the poison Sasori used five years ago. It no longer causes immediate paralysis. You don't even know you've been poisoned until it's too late."

Three medics burst through the trees, a stretcher in hand. They moved in on Sais body and Konohamaru and Raido helped shift him carefully onto the stretcher. Sakura stood as the team began moving him swiftly from the forest back to the village.

"I'll go with him. With any luck Tsunade can pull off a miracle." She looked at Gaara who showed her nothing. One of Sais pupils was already fixed. He wasn't going to be waking up.

The men watched her take to the trees and disappear into the winter foliage. They all stood silently for a moment before Konohamaru turned to Udon.

"As much as I hate to do this now, we have another issue on our hands." Everyone turned to look at the younger shinobi. "Sunas group arrived today."

0.0.0.0.0.0

At least a day away from the scheduled meeting site and they were still having trouble. Yugao growled behind her mask and signaled them to a stop once more as the jangle of harnesses sounded a short distance away. They'd been followed when they left. No one would ever find the bodies but that didn't mean they wouldn't miss the men. She'd left the real Shigas body with those dispatched ninja since he was no longer needed. That plan had worked out nicely at least. She'd been able to secure Kankuro by a simple replacement jutsu. The body she'd run through at the prison had already been dead. Kankuro safely tucked in the wrapped bandages on her back. He simply looked like the puppet of the puppeteer she was portraying. But the damage was already done. The mission had been discovered just as they were pulling out. She only hoped they hadn't lost anyone along the way.

"If we have to keep stopping like this, he's not going to make it to the medic." One masked ninja said quietly next to her shoulder.

She looked back at Kankuro. He was getting worse. His chest shook with every breath and they'd covered his face with cloth to protect his still raw skin from the elements as well as keep the sand out of his lungs. His fever had spiked the day before and this time they were unable to properly manage it. Faced with sweat soaked clothing and freezing night temperatures they'd had to strip him and place light gauze coverings over his body during the day adding blankets at night. He'd not spoken since morning and only twitched lightly when touched. Yugao spent most of their travel time praying he would survive the trip. She did not want to be the one to tell Gaara Sabaku his brother and last living relative was dead because they couldn't move fast enough.

Precious minutes passed as the caravan moved on and the all clear was given. The group lifted the gurney carrying Kankuros loosely shrouded body and continued as quickly as possible to their destination.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Sasuke stared out of the window of his bedroom. The mid afternoon sun was high making the room bright and nearly cheerful even with the dark fabrics and woods. He only wished the sun would lighten his mood.

He'd been in this room all morning, trying to decide what to do about his wife... the traitor. His wife was a traitor and he'd brought her into his home, his bed! He shivered and pressed his forehead to the cool glass. He'd almost lost his best friend because of her. He could have lost his daughters. Her Own Children! He could almost hear the gossips now. He should have known what she was up to. After all, one traitor would recognize another. Maybe they thought he'd gotten what he deserved? Maybe they thought he deserved worse? He groaned and his breath fogged the window.

He looked back at the bed where all five of his children were now taking a nap. Naruto and Hiro were curled protectively around each of the twins while Tadao snuggled contentedly between them. Izanami and the baby were doing better. In only four more months there were be one more child on that bed. For the first time since he'd started his quest to revive the Uchiha clan, he thought this might be enough. How much more could he ask of his friend? She'd been told it wasn't wise to carry more children after this. The strain was too much for her body and she'd most likely lose the next one if she didn't lose this one. He couldn't do that to her. He'd considered taking another wife but threw it out. He'd barely tolerated Takako in his bed. The thought of bringing another stranger that close to himself or his family... no, he wouldn't do it.

His thoughts drifted to Sakura. Pretty, pink haired, bad tempered Sakura. Would things be different now if she'd told him yes back then. He'd asked her to carry his children because he trusted her and was sure she'd say yes. She'd harbored a crush on him throughout their academy days after all. But while he'd been gone trying to chase his own demons she'd grown out of him and into his best friend.

He remembered the moment he'd first truly seen her again. It had been after Orochimarus death. When he'd faced Itachi. He was ready to deal the final blow. Ready to finish the man who'd destroyed his clan with nothing more than a careless thought. He'd been ready. More than ready. Then he'd felt her hand on his shoulder. He wasn't even sure how long he'd stood over his brother and stared into cold, indifferent eyes that just didn't care while blood soaked into the cracked stones beneath him. And he couldn't kill him. For the first time since he was a child tears poured down his cheeks and he turned to look at her and ask why. He didn't understand why he couldn't do this. It was all he wanted. All he'd dreamed about year after year. But now he couldn't finish it. He'd screamed at her to explain and she'd simply touched his face and pulled him into her arms. She didn't pay attention to the chidori in his hand. She ignored the fact that he could kill her with that simply touch. She just held him with the protection and love they'd all tried to give him for years but he was too blinded by an obsession to see. And so he lay his cheek on her shoulder and quietly let the tears fall, ignoring Naruto as he called in his shadow clones and the wind that whipped at their hair as he pulled his chakra into the tight ball of the rasengan. In the end he did what he should have done when he was thirteen. He let his best friend finish the painful mission of killing his brother while the woman he'd discounted as weak and helpless held him protectively in strong, sure arms and healed his wounds.

Hours after he'd been secured along with his remaining team for transport back to Konoha he watched the two of them walk together. He should have seen it then. The way Sakura hovered so close. The way Narutos brief touches lingered. Or maybe it was the fact he was touching her at all? He didn't notice it though. Not until a few months later, when he'd asked her to help revive his clan and she'd told him no. Naruto had come to his door that night and decked him. For once he'd been the slow one. Who'd have guessed?

The clouds overtook the sun for a moment so that the room lost its sunny feel and dropped back into the realm of dark and brooding. Tadao stirred and whimpered in his sleep. Narutos hand came over the baby and wrapped itself around the young boy, cuddling the infant between the two of them. Sasuke walked away from the window and reached the side of the bed. He leaned in to touch the hair on each of his children's heads and wondered, for the first time, if Sakura ever felt this way when she looked down at her little Tsunade. And he wondered what Naruto would have thought of his little red haired whirlwind.

The thought of one red head brought on thoughts of another. The mission was nearly over. Everyone was nearly home. He'd done all he could. And now he had another task to complete. Another mission to put on the table for one more friend to finish in his stead. He touched Tadaos hair as the boy settled under his bothers arm. He only hoped his children would forgive him when they were old enough to understand why their mother never came home.

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**Yes. I know it is cruel of me but I've decided to stop here. I was going to do more but my hubby is sick and me and my son had flu shots so I'm just not up to it. Please let me know what you think anyway. I'd love to hear everyones opinions on the story so far.**


	21. Goodbye Hello

**I have a sick baby and have not proofread this. Hope I didn't make too many mistakes. I tried. Thanks to all those that have reviewed both this work and Sand in the Pants. Your praise, advise and criticism are greatly appreciated.**

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Each sat at the end of an examination table. Each wore a similar scowl. Neither was budging and Sasuke was getting tired.

"Naruto. We do this every time. Please! For me. Let Tsunade check you out."

The short blond never took his eyes off his nemesis while he answered his father with a simple, "I don't want to!". Sasuke groaned and dropped back into his seat.

Once every four months his oldest son was required, along with himself, to undergo a thorough physical and psychiatric evaluation. It wasn't unpleasant, simply inconvenient and though he'd found it a little demeaning in the beginning, he understood the necessity. He'd seen first hand what some of Orochimaru's more creative experiments could do so it was little wonder the village wanted a close eye on the late snake wielders prize vessel and the child he'd managed to create with it. But Naruto had never been a very good patient.

"Maybe you should check me first?"

Tsunade kept her annoyed glare on the young man in front of her as she answered, "No."

Sasukes sigh was heartfelt. He stood and watched the two blonds sit at a stand still for a moment longer before shaking his head and turning to the door.

"I'm going for a walk. Please send someone to get me when you're done." He opened the door then stopped when Tsunade made a small sound.

"Send Shizune in for me, please, Sasuke." She sounded pleased with herself and when Naruto growled.

"Sure." He sighed heavily and stepped out of the room.

"But Daddy!" The door closed on his son's wail.

Turning down the hall, Sasuke headed for the station where he could just see Shizune's bowed head. He never liked being there when Naruto had to be held down. Hiro had once come for support but the first time he'd seen them strap his older brother to a table for his exam he'd cried so horribly Tsunade had asked he not be allowed back. Of course, the bite scar she now sported on her left ankle might have had something to do with that too. Sasuke smiled at the memory.

"You're very happy considering what day it is." Shizune's voice cut through the memory but he kept the smile as he looked at her.

"Just remembering a good day." His smile widened to a grin.

Shaking her head, the dark haired medic gripped the chart in her hand and tucked it under her arm. "I doubt Lady Tsunade would call that a good memory."

"To each his own." He shrugged. "She needs you, by the way. Naruto's being difficult."

Shizune sighed and put the chart back on the desk. "You'd think after all this time he'd be comfortable with this."

"I'm not comfortable with it." His smile dropped.

"You don't require restraint." She countered.

"I'm not five and I did this to myself. It's not his fault and he feels like he's being punished."

Her dark eyes closed for a moment before she lifted her head and looked into his darker ones. "You understand our position. We don't know exactly what was done to his mother during her pregnancy. You admit you don't even know who his mother was."

Sasuke looked away. He didn't know anything about Naruto's mother. Only that she'd shown up at an orphanage and died a few days later. She'd mentioned two names to the priests running the place but neither had known what they meant, until he showed up in their village.

"We're not hurting him. We need to watch him, not only to make sure he is stable but also to make sure nothing was done that could be harmful to him." She rubbed her fingertips into the bridge of her nose. "How are your eyes?"

He didn't blink at the change in topic. The discussion about his son was over. "No worse, if that's what you're asking."

She nodded, knowing that was the best she'd get until Tsunade brow beat him into more. "I'll go take care of Naruto. You'll be on the grounds?"

He nodded. "I'll be on this floor." He watched her turn and walk down the hall. The door to the room he'd just left opened and he could hear his sons protests as Shizune walked in. The sounds of his angry cries were cut off as the door closed.

0.0.0.0.0.0

"No change."

Sakura took the chart from the medic and read it over. Nothing had changed. They'd managed to extract the poison but it had been in his system too long and had done too much damage. His organs were starting to shut down one by one. Each muscle freezing as it deteriorated. They'd stabilized him yesterday morning when they'd brought him. It had taken until late in the afternoon for them to extract the poison and assess the damage. They'd held out hope and Sakura had stayed with him all night but sometime early in the morning his kidneys had started to shut down, then his lungs and as they spoke, his heart rate was dropping. Every organ shutting down at the same time, as if his body just decided it was tired and needed a rest. And maybe it did.

"Finish the report." Her voice was raw from lack of sleep and constantly talking, trying to wake him. "I'll stay and finish this."

The medic, being a veteran, didn't argue as he back out of the room. He flagged down a young student and sent her to give the Hokage Sai's status report before moving to the desk to finish the chart. While he busied himself with his work he missed the dark haired man looking into Sai's room then opening the door and stepping in.

Sakura didn't look up from her teammate's peacefully sleeping face as Sasuke slipped into the room. Her hand wrapped lightly around Sai's still fingers, she pulled a nearby chair close to the bed and sat.

"Your wife is on the next floor down."

"Naruto is down the hall. I came to see Sai."

She reached out and brushed Sai's hair from his face though it didn't need to be. "There's nothing to see. He's already gone. We're just waiting for his body to stop."

"I see. I'm sorry."

Sakura watched Sai's breathing falter and leaned over him with a hand to his chest. Instinct had her checking for the problem though she knew what was wrong. She had to fight the need to fix it. They'd done all they could and nothing she did now would make him live. Slowly, reluctantly, she pulled her hand away.

"Maybe you shouldn't be here. Let one of the other medi..."

"Why are you here, Sasuke? We didn't let anyone know he was here since his mission was ANBU ranked and we can't answer questions. And don't tell me Tsunade told you. I'm not an idiot."

"I never thought you were an idiot. I..."

Sakura turned her head to look at her former team mate. The boy she'd pined for so long was still there but he'd unwrapped the shell he'd always hidden behind. She barely knew the man in front of her now. Had she ever really known him? It hurt to think she hadn't. And now he was nothing more than a painful memory of everything she'd lost.

"Why are you here?"

His dark eyes blinked closed and she knew he simply couldn't look her in the eye. He hadn't been able to since Naruto had died almost two years ago. She hated him a little for being that weak.

"Gaara hasn't told you? I guess I'm not surprised. He never seemed to be much of a gossip." His eyes blinked open and she stiffened. There was guilt along side the pity looking out at her. And a need for understanding she was pretty sure she wouldn't be willing to give. "The mission Sai was on was commissioned by me. Kakashi and I came up with it when it became apparent Konoha would be unable to do anything without starting a war."

The mission to Suna. She'd heard about it but she'd assumed it was kept quiet to prevent leaks. She should have known the council wouldn't allow that bold a move without someone else footing the bill and taking the blame. And Kakashi had been in on it. Was most likely in Suna right now doing whatever the mission had specified.

"I saw Sai's name on one of the charts while we were waiting for Tsunade. I thought maybe... I'm sorry."

"You already said that." She stared at him a moment longer before turning her attention back to Sai.

His chest was barely moving now and she raised a hand to lift the lids of his eyes. Vacant. They'd been that way since the night before but it still hurt her to see nothing when she looked at him. Just an empty shell. She moved her hand to his chest and lay it over his heart. One sluggish beat after another then a shutter before the rhythm started again.

"I know this isn't your fault." She pressed her hand harder into Sai's chest, willing it to keep beating. "I know that, but right now... right now, I hate you. I hate that you can stand there and say your sorry and he can barely breath. I hate you for having everything you want while I'm losing my friend and I've already lost my..." Her voice cracked and tears started to fall down her cheeks.

"I would save them if I could." He breathed harshly in the silence of the room. "I would have saved _him_. But you know he would have died no matter what I did or where I was. You know that!" He stepped closer to the bed. "I'm trying, Sakura. I've been trying. You keep getting farther and farther away from me."

"I used to think I knew you better than anyone. I used to think I loved you more than anything." She never took her eyes off of Sai as his heart skipped beneath her fingers again. "When we went to look for you I was sure you'd left because you were angry and confused. But we'd bring you back. You'd understand and you'd come back."

"Sakura..."

She heard the change in his voice. Heard the steal and resolve in her name as it passed his lips. She'd always imagined that tone was defiance. That he'd simply been strong willed and easily swayed by his emotions where his family was concerned. She'd imagined wrong.

"He was surprised when you came back with your son. He told me, when you left the village, that you wouldn't come back. He was really surprised. It took me a while to figure out why." She squeezed Sai's hand when his body jerked a little. "You only stayed because Naruto wanted you here. Because he was the closest thing to a brother you'd ever had. If he hadn't been here, you would have left the moment Tsunade let you go."

She looked up when she heard the rustle of clothing and the scrape of wood on the tile floor. Sasuke sat on the edge of the chair, poised to leave at a moments notice. He was giving her that pitied look again. She hated him even more for it now.

"He was my brother. I stayed for him but I never promised to stay forever. Izanami and I talked about leaving and then they found little Naruto. He needed something stable and a place that would understand him. Konoha was the only place I trusted he wouldn't be treated like..."

"Like a monster."

Sasuke nodded and Sakura turned her attention back to the man slowly dying in front of her.

"I don't like who you are. I thought I could blame Orochimaru for the way you'd changed but this is really you, isn't it?"

From the corner of her eye she saw him swallow before he nodded. "Yeah. This is who I am." He stood and she heard the soft scrape of his sandals over the floor. "You tried to stop me when I left and I thanked you for that. You were the only one who cared enough to try, but nothing you could have said would have made me stay. I owe you and Naruto a great debt but I can't change who I am for you. Nothing you say will make me apologize for protecting my family instead of fighting a losing battle next to your fiancée. And I'm sorry about Sai, but he's a shinobi. He knew the risks." The door squeaked as he opened it and Sakura moved closer to lay her ear on Sai's chest. "I don't like who you are either, Sakura. But I've tried."

"Please leave."

The door closed. Sakura lay there with the soft patter of mid-morning traffic in the halls and the nearly imperceptible beat of Sai's heart. One beat, two beats, three beats. She closed her eyes and envisioned the first time she'd seen Sai really smile. The first time he'd told a joke. The first kiss he botched so horribly he decided not to date again for a year. Silent laughter shook her shoulders as she listened as closely as she could. But all too soon the sound was gone and she place a chakra soaked hand to his chest and felt the ebb and flow of him as it slowed little by little. Then everything stopped.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Neji stepped out of the small house and pulled the door closed behind him. Stepping out into the street and nodding greetings to those who passed, he headed for the gates of the Hyuuga compound. But one of the passersby caught his attention and he stopped directly in front of her. The smile that started building across his face only seemed to annoy her.

"Get out of the way, Neji. I'm tired and I need a shower." Hinata tried to move around him but he blocked her path.

"When did you get the mission? It must have been a _rough_ one." He swallowed the chuckles he knew would only set her off.

Hair matted full of knots and clothes wrinkled beyond hope,dotted with barbecue stains, Hinata stood tall and lied through her teeth. "It was a last minute mission. I just got back this morning."

"Oh. Where was the mission?"

"Classified."

"Ah... I see." A snort escaped.

Hinata's eyes narrowed. She tried to move around him again but an aunt stopped her and the cousins had to take a moment to exchange pleasantries. When the woman was suitably convinced Hinata didn't need a medic and Neji wasn't dating his teammate she moved on. Hinata's smile was smug as she looked up at her now red faced cousin.

"Tell me, cousin, has father seen that book?"

Neji sneered. "Maybe you do need that medic. You have some rather sever looking wounds on your neck."

Hinata's eyes bugged and she pulled the collar of her coat up to hide the now visible hickey's. She glared up at Neji but couldn't muster the energy to get angry. She sighed and slumped.

"All I want is a shower and a nice long nap. Truce?"

Neji's smile turned soft and he nodded. "Truce. And no, uncle hasn't seen the book. I'm saving it for a special occasion."

"That's cruel." She tried to look stern but a giggle escaped.

"I know. How's Choji?"

"Wonderful." Hinata sighed almost dreamily. "And very energetic." She groaned and rolled her shoulders.

Neji laughed outright, "I can see that." Hinata punched him in the arm. "Ouch," but he didn't stop laughing.

"I'm going home now." She huffed and started past him but stopped to look over her shoulder. "Will you be back tonight?"

He shook his head. "Morning most likely. It's the last border patrol before the chuunin exams start."

"I'll see you in the morning then."

He watched her walk with a slight limp toward the main house and silently thanked Choji for putting that smile on her face. As he headed for the gates once again he spared a thought for that worried look in her eye just before she'd turned to leave. It had been subtle and not really directed at him... he sighed and put it away to discuss with her later. He needed to meet up with Gai and Gaara and grab the mission scroll before heading out.

"I really hate border patrol." He groused and nodded to the guards before stepping through the gates.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Matsuri fingered the blood stained headband she'd laid out on her bed and tried not to think about why she was there.

"You need to put that away. If one of the kids walks in and sees it they'll only get upset." Kane looked up from his scroll long enough to give her a stern look before returning to his work.

"I still can't believe he's gone." She murmured while slipping the sand forehead protector back into her pack.

"He may not be. I mean, it was Aya who told you about it."

"And that's why I'm afraid I might believe it." She sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the bare white walls.

Kane put down his scroll and moved to sit next to her. He wrapped one arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a very brief and slightly crushing hug.

"Aya's a psycho."

She nodded agreement. Aya was a psycho but he was also a more than capable puppeteer and hated the Gaara and his family. He'd never forgiven Kankuro for defending Gaara after he'd killed his father for nothing more than asking the wrong question.

"He may be psycho but he also holds onto a grudge. If he was that happy..."

Kane gave her another little squeeze and touched his forehead to hers. Everyone had been so pleased when they'd announced their intention to marry. Gaara had been more than generous and Temari had even congratulated them. It hurt them both that neither their friends would be with them when they took this important step.

"They're all gone now. They worked so hard and look where it got them." Matsuri sighed and pulled back from the comforting touch. They were here on business. This was no time to cuddle.

Sensing the change in her mood, Kane stood and walked to the chair where he'd left his pack and weapons pouch.

"I'm going to round up the genin. They should have been back from breakfast by now and I don't want any trouble while we're here." He strapped his pouch to his thigh and grabbed his forehead protector. "I still think they sent us here hoping someone would kill us."

Matsuri had to agree. "Watch your back. I'll be going to meet with the _guards_ in a few minutes. We'll meet back here in an hour."

He nodded and reached for the door. It flew open under his hand and he backed up before it hit him in the face.

"Sensei! Sensei! I..." Midori ran face first into her sensei and bounced back into the man standing behind her.

"Oh hell." Kane blink.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Kakashi watched the two men standing by the window and wondered when Kin had been ordered to kill them all. He was pretty sure Mamoru had been sent as fodder. The mans short temper and foul attitude only advertised the fact that he was a mediocre shinobi at best and had most likely gotten his promotion through money or connections. But Kin was a different animal. Quiet to the point of seeming shy, Kin blended into the group with little effort and was still young enough to look innocent while plotting the deaths of ten people. Only Ronin, a genin puppeteer from Matsuri's group, managed to chip away at the mans self-restraint. And because of the 'no lethal force' rule neither of their puppeteers were allowed to carry poisons and had only been allowed one puppet each. They'd been hamstrung and he was pretty sure they'd been followed. If nothing happened in the village to lessen their numbers, Kakashi was sure they'd be ambushed on the way back to Suna.

Haya, the only female guard, stepped into the room and the men spared her an appraising glance. Mamoru was the only one who seemed to be interested in body.

"Shiga. May I have a word with you?"

He would like nothing more than to have a word with her. He'd been watching her since the moment they'd left Suna and had come to the conclusion she was the only guard who was actually _guarding_ the students. She had something going with the genin but he'd been unable to decide what it was.

However, for this mission he wasn't one of the good guys. And if he didn't play his part, they were all dead.

"Something you can't tell the rest of the group?" He asked with a little lilt in his voice.

Haya looked over the group. Kakashi watched the calculation in her eyes that never showed on her face, then cocked a brow as she sighed and placed a hand on her hip. Mamoru's eyes went straight to the hand. Kin's went straight to the weapons pouch two finger widths away. She opened her mouth to speak then stopped cold and stared at the base of the door frame.

A moment later Kakashi's head whipped around to the small window behind him. Kin pulled a kunai as did Mamoru and all four jounin watched as sand poured in through the cracks and began to move in individual lines toward each of them.

0.0.0.0.0.0

His breathing was shallow but steady. Yugao didn't know how but Kankuro had managed to survive the night. He'd been well enough to take water that morning and was now breathing a little easier. The improvement wasn't much and might not last but at least, for now, he could survive until they reached the first marker. The medic was scheduled to meet them at the second marker by the Rain Country border.

"You're almost there, kid. Just hang on a little longer."

His hand twitched and she took that as a sign he'd heard her. She lifted the light gauze from around his neck and pulled it up over his face then turned to fold the blankets from the night before.

A shift in the sand still surrounding the trees caught her attention and a moment later three other masked ninja were at her side and creating a wall around their injured charge. She heard the soft sound of swords being drawn and the light touch of sandal feet on tree limbs. Everyone was silent and Yugao counted the seconds before a soft thud and a groan had them all looking to the east. She smiled when she heard the next sound.

"What the hell?! I'm not a pin cushion. Get that thing away from me!"

Yugao stood, mask still in place, and signaled for the others to stay with Kankuro. She emerged from the lite cover of the tamarix than had grown green with the mild rain and approached the intruder.

"You're early and this isn't where we're suppose to meet."

Kouhei glared at her but didn't move. The blades of her comrades were extremely close to his throat and one sudden move could mean a blood letting. Kouhei Hirasi seemed like an easy going person but he was easily irritated when he thought people were being idiots. Since every man in ANBU had dealt with him at one point or another they all knew he thought they were acting like idiots.

"Where we were suppose to meet is no longer an option. I was ambushed a few kilometers from the marker. They knew where we were heading and they knew our path. I had to change directions and head farther into river country."

One of the ANBU let out a string of curses strong enough to tear the hide from a boar. Kouhei raised his brows.

"Way to keep a low profile, Yoji."

Yugao stepped in and lifted the blades from the medics neck but the man didn't move. She smiled behind her mask, knowing that though he might find this irritating, he understood why it had to be done.

"You have it?"

Kouhei pulled a small rolled scroll from beneath his vest and handed it to her. She checked to make sure the seal was unbroken and all safeguards were in place. Once she was satisfied the scroll had been unread she took the small tag he held out for her. The script was ornate and in the Hokages print.

"Am I free to make sure the poor tortured ninja doesn't die yet?" The blonds voice dripped with sarcasm and obvious irritation.

Yugao flipped up her mask and stared him down. "A week without a bath and no sex and you're a real joy to be around Hirasi."

He growled at her then moved past when she motioned the men to bring out Kankuro.

"You can't just let him go like that. You know protocol. This mission is at a big enough risk without letting..."

She cut the youngest member of their team off with a steady glare. "He didn't have the time it would take to go through all the bull."

"I'm not taking the heat for this if he turns out to be..." The boys partner stomped on his foot. "Ouch! What?!"

The other man looked him up and down from beneath his mask. "Do you want to explain to that freaky little red head that his brother died half way to Konoha because we had to question our own medics even though we knew it was him?"

There was a moment of silence as both men stared at one another. Yugao waited. When Yoji finally shook his head no she dismissed him and looked to the man standing next to her.

"Just so you know. Referring to a former diplomatic figure head and potentially lethal weapon as a 'freaky little red head' may not be such a good idea."

"You don't have to tell me twice." He moved off toward the outer perimeter to retake his post.

Yugao turned and watched Kouhei move around Kankuro with a keen eye and sense of determination. For the first time since they'd left Suna she took a deep breath and thanked the Hokages for keeping him alive this long. Now all they had to do was make it back home in one piece.

0.0.0.0.0.0


	22. A Single Grain of Sand

Chujohime Uboshita peeked through the open window of her small, cozy apartment to get a better look at the two men walking past her door.

"I've already told you, I'm not interested in dating your cousin."

She smiled. Seemed poor Neji-kun was never going to have any peace until he got married. Good for Gai-san!

"This is not the same cousin, Neji. If you will not explore the wonders of the feminine blooms of this village or the next, then perhaps you will find love in a hardier harvest. I have great respect for Gaara but his time with us may well end and I would not see you heart broken over the loss of youthful pleasures!"

Chujohime choked. Boy did that man have it ALL wrong.

"Gai... what are you talking about?"

"Satoshi, though not as delicate as the petals of the cherry bloom, is fine and beautiful and would be a worthy totem for your youthful adoration and desire."

"Uh, Gai? Satoshi's a boy."

"A graceful and softly handsome boy!"

They were just passing the window and, to her pleasure, just in time to see Neji stop and turn far too wide eyes on the man walking next to him. She waited for his usual anger to surface. For him to strike and find himself on his back with a foot pressed to his chest. Instead, the young man stood frozen for a moment before sighing and knocking on the door next to hers. Her smile widened as the men waited for an answer. Looked as though young Neji Hyuuga was finally growing up.

"Come on, Gaara! We're due at the gates in fifteen minutes." Neji frowned at the door and knocked again.

The silence that followed pulled her from her pleasant inspection of the men's profiles. She grabbed the wrap from her nearby chair and tossed it around her shoulders but as she reached for her own door, Chujohime stopped to check her hair in the small mirror next to it. At forty-five she may not be a spring duck but that was no reason to look like a hag in front of influential and attractive shinobi. You were as young as you felt and she and her neighbor, Hisa Watari, felt very young indeed living next to such well cultivated and uninhibited young shinobi.

"Gaara?" Neji called once more from the landing.

Chujohime stepped from her own door with a soft, sweet smile and faced the two men standing next door.

"Good morning, Maito-san. Neji-kun." She bowed in turn to each and was rewarded with a bow from both men in return.

"Good Morning, Uboshita-san! You are looking exceptionally beautiful this morning!"

She preened at the complement and turned an expectant if not demanding eye on Neji.

"Good morning, Uboshita-obasan. It's nice to see you again."

Her sharp eyes took in his features and the flow of his dark hair moments before she heard a throat clear and caught site of Hisa on the other side of the landing. She smiled as both men turned to greet the woman and winked in thanks while studying their well toned backsides.

"If you're looking for Gaara-kun, he isn't here." The older woman explained as the introductions finished.

Neji and Gai looked confused. Hisa gave them long look before turning her now serious eyes on her friend.

"Didn't you say Gaara had a visitor this morning, Uboshita-san?"

Chujohime nodded and moved around to stand in front of Gaara's door. "He left this morning after a young girl came to visit him. He seemed... unsettled."

Neji's face smoothed into white marble while Gai's eyes sharpened on the younger widow.

"I saw the young girl." Hisa explained and both men turned their eyes on her. "She was dressed rather oddly. Black isn't a color many of our ninja wear and that hood was rather strange." She shooed the discussion of style from the air with a wave of her hand and honed a beautiful of slightly lined smile on both shinobi. "But she did seem genuinely happy to see him and I think he might have smiled a little."

"But you said he was unhappy when he left. Did you hear any of the conversation?" Neji asked quickly before one of the women could cut him off.

"Uboshita-san said he was 'unsettled'. Pay attention." Neji's eyes narrowed. "And I didn't hear a great deal, my ears aren't what they used to be, but I did catch a few things." Hisa tapped a finger on her chin.

Neji started to open his mouth then shut it to hold in his curse as Gai stomped the heel of his boot into the other mans instep.

"Anything you could remember would be a great help to us, Watari-san." Gai's voice boomed.

"Yes,yes, give me a minute." Hisa waved the green suited man to silence.

Chujohime watched on in admiration as Hisa skillfully told the ninja about the young Suna puppeteer who'd visited with Gaara that morning and just enough of the conversation to let them know the child had told him about his brother's death. It had always amazed the younger woman that Hisa Watari, a delicate fifty-five year old widow, could smoothly maneuver around most of the ninja in the village without actually lying.

"He didn't say anything about where he was going?" Neji asked. His face smoothed back into perfect lines but there was a hint of desperation in his voice.

"Gaara-kun is a grown man. We aren't in the habit of asking him his every destination." Chujohime pointed out though it was just a bit of a fib. "I assumed he was heading out for a mission since he was wearing his travel cloak."

The two men gave each other a significant look before bowing to their elders and leaping over the hand railing. A sight both women silently appreciated. Just as the men's feet hit the ground and they set off from the nearest rooftop, Hisa called out to them with a cheery wave.

"By the way, that young girl left with one of those nice young men in the adorable little animal masks. I suppose she wasn't expecting to see him since she looked really surprised."

The two shinobi split off in different direction and disappeared. Chujohime turned to her friend and neighbor and sighed, "I don't know how you do it."

Hisa smiled and patted her young counterpart between the shoulders. Both her husband and daughter had been shinobi, the later even making the ranks of ANBU. Subterfuge and manipulation along with several other fun little survival skills were all part of the world of a ninja wife.

"Don't worry, dear." Her softly wrinkled eyes twinkled. "You just didn't get enough practice. When they bring Gaara back you'll have plenty of time."

"You mean, _if_ they bring Gaara back."

"Oh no," Hisa's smiled turned calculating. "I mean _when_."

0.0.0.0.0.0

Tsunade shut the door behind her and indulged in a sigh before moving toward her desk. She hated doing rounds almost as much as she hated paperwork. Didn't she have a horde of students and medics to do this? But nooooo, she had to make an appearance and show she was a diligent medic as well as the overall protector of the village. Blah Blah Blah.

"I need a drink."

"Well, you're not getting one until I get answers."

Sighing, Tsunade looked up into the very angry eyes of Ino Yamanaka. She didn't have to guess why the woman was standing in her office with steam rising off her head.

"It was necessary, Yamanaka. We're only covering the bases after the attacks. You have to understand..."

"What I understand is that my husband was taken into custody the moment he stepped outside our house with no reason given."

She moved pasted the heat radiating off of her former student to round her desk. "They're just doing their..."

"They treated him like a common criminal and I want to know WHY!?

This time the sigh was more than heartfelt. Tsunade pulled out her desk chair and sat heavily. The years were catching up. If it hadn't been for a friend's request she wouldn't even be in this chair. Damn Kakashi and his cheerfully deceptive mind.

"Ino..." The girl opened her mouth but Tsunade forestalled her. "He migrated here from Wind country. He eloped with the only daughter of one of the most prominent families in the village. He is aggressive and edgy toward most of his peers unless he's working directly with them." Tsunade ticked off each of her points on her fingers then sighed yet again at Ino's stubborn face. "You know the position this village is in at the moment. We can not afford to be lax in any part of our security. This is simply an inquiry. As long as he cooperates he'll be back home this afternoon."

The look of anger and agitation slipped from Ino's face instantly. "And if he doesn't cooperate?"

0.0.0.0.0.0

Ibiki turned his back on his current subject and tried to loosen the tension in his jaw. Every other shinobi they'd detained had cooperated to the fullest. Answering every question to the best of their knowledge and sometimes volunteering information no one in the room really wanted to know. No one had been in this room for more than an hour. Each man had been prepared for interrogation and thankful none was needed. Ibiki had to admit, he was thankful too. And then they'd brought in Fudo Yamanaka. For three hours he'd stood over the black sheep of the mind jutsu clan and asked any number of reasonable and easily answered questions. The man hadn't opened his mouth to do more than yawn. He wouldn't even give them his age.

"These are simple question, Yamanaka. If you give me the answers I want you'll be home in time for dinner."

Still no answer. Ibiki didn't turn to look at the man. He simply nodded to the guard at the door who stepped outside and closed it with a soft click. The silence stretched on for several minutes before Ibiki finally turned and looked at the man he now had to consider a dangerous suspect. Fudo merely stared back.

"You're trying to prove a point where it's not needed. Stop being so stubborn and answer the damned questions."

Silence. Ibiki slammed both hands down on the table, shaking the legs and the small glass of water in the center. Fudo didn't flinch. Ibiki pulled back enough to stand straight then allowed himself to sigh in resignation.

"Stand up. Walk to the far wall and face the center post."

Fudo stood and turned, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly as he took his first step. The door behind then opened and two masked ANBU stepped into the room and headed in their direction. The guard from before closed the door and stepped in front of it. Ibiki watched Fudo step up to the center post and moved to join him.

"I suppose this will be good for you. At least maybe we can knock some of that chip off your shoulder."

Fudo snorted.

0.0.0.0.0.0

"Run!"

Tsubasa jumped from the roof and took up step with his teammates as they retreated from the inn. Two sand ninja stepped smoothly from the door but did not follow. The three genin ducked into an open alley and dropped against the walls. Two on one side, one on the other. They waited, but no one pursued them. After another few minutes, Tsubasa sighed and relaxed against the stone wall he occupied with Mayu.

"That was close."

"What happened?" Mayu, one of the two female members of their team, bent at the waist and closed her eyes in an effort to center herself.

Wafa sighed and slid down the wall. "The bored looking one noticed the lack of cohesion." She lifted her head and turned wide pale eyes on her teammates. "But I think the rest hadn't gotten enough time to notice yet."

"So, this could work if I can compress the sand more." Tsubasa smiled.

Mayu stared thoughtfully at the opposite wall. "We could manipulate the setting in our favor. Late in the day or possibly at night when he's less guarded."

"This could work." Wafa nodded and a slow smile spread over her face. "We could do this."

All three grinned then started to laugh as they leapt to the rooftops and headed for the practice fields.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Kakashi watched the retreating back of one of Anko's genin and thanked the Hokage they were smart enough to hide their chakra signatures before pulling a stunt like that. He glanced at the only other man to notice the difference in the sands movement and substance. Kin was going to be a problem. But at least Anko's team had solved one problem for him.

"Genin pranks." The quiet and largely inconspicuous Kin stared at the retreating backs of the younger shinobi.

"Yeah." Kakashi, his Shiga guise apparently holding up well enough to fool most of the village, leaned back against the door frame to their room.

"These leaf ninja are too lax in their discipline." Kin turned to step back into the room. "But at least we now know Gaara Sabaku was once here. We'll need to find out where he's heading in order to finish the mission."

"What makes you think he isn't still here?" Kakashi looked across the street. A number of pedestrians were eying them from the far side of the road.

"He'd be a fool to stay here and the Hokage would be even more of a fool to harbor him. He was most likely treated and sent on his way to keep focus off of the village."

Kakashi nodded and listened to the door to their room close. Kin was definitely a problem but at least he was convinced Gaara wasn't here. It was a point in their favor and gave him a small amount of time to work. He watched three blurs race over the rooftops and sighed. No one was going to make this job easy for him.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Matsuri stared at the mask more than the man. A mistake, she knew, but it was just hard not to stare when ANBU showed up on your doorstep. She'd never gotten used to seeing them no matter how often she'd come here with Gaara.

"You need to keep a leash on your student." The mans voice was soft and light. Almost feminine in it's timbre.

"I didn't realize they were on restriction in the village." Kane straightened as Midori moved to his side.

"She was in the residential areas. You understand why she would need an escort if she felt the need to visit a friend."

Matsuri didn't miss the subtle warning. She looked to Kane's student questioningly. The girl looked a little frightened but not cowed. In fact, she was smiling just a little. He hadn't threatened her but she'd definitely been somewhere she wasn't suppose to be and it didn't have anything to do with lack of escort in a residential area.

"Of course. I'll let the others know as well." Kane eyed the man.

"Please do." His masked face tipped down to the young girl who's fists tight at her sides. "And I would advise you not to peek in windows again, young lady. Some people find premature disturbances bothersome and potentially unsettling."

Midori nodded with slightly widened eyes and the masked man disappeared in a cloud of smoke. All three shinobi stared at the open door for a moment before Kane walked over and closed it. He turned his back to lean against the wood then glared at his wayward student.

"We told you to let this go. Are you the only one who went out 'exploring'?"

Midori lowered her head and nodded. "Yes, Kane-sensei."

He stood and paced the entrance while Matsuri moved up to place a hand on Midori's shoulder. The young puppeteer turned her crystal blue eyes on the older woman, her face nearly blank but for the tiny lines tipping the corners of her lips and the bright hope in her eyes.

"You found nothing." Matsuri spoke firmly.

"Sensei?"

"You found nothing. His presence here was a long shot at best." Matsuri continued.

"He's long since moved on." Kane continued, seeing the hope and now pain in his young students eyes. "You understand, don't you, Midori?"

Frustration warred with bliss as the young puppeteer nodded her understanding and agreement. She wouldn't say a word to her teammates or comrades. Their escorts to the village wouldn't find out from her that the man they were looking for was less than a fifteen minute walk away. But she wanted to. She wanted to shout to the world that she'd found their Kazekage. Their _real_ Kazekage. She sighed and turned toward the short hall holding one of the rooms she and her teammates were using. She wanted to tell them but maybe this was for the best because she wasn't sure, no matter how much they wanted him, that the Kazekage was willing to come back.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Neji stopped on the winding steps of the Hokage mountain and looked at the still bare sakura tree just above the sixth Hokage's head. The hint of red peeking from one of it's branches was a little too dark to be considered an early blossom. In the fading light he continued up the mountain and moved to stand on the other side of the trunk. He looked up into a thicker branch shooting out over the mountains edge.

"How far did you get?"

Gaara looked down from behind the smooth wood and shrugged. "Not far. Circled around once or twice then stopped here."

Neji concentrated and walked smoothly up the side of the tree. He settled on the branch just above the one Gaara was now sitting on, stretching full length on his belly and looking down on the still figure of his teammate.

"Gai was worried."

Gaara looked up at him and Neji wished he hadn't. He'd expected to see cold indifference or at least his usual mask after so many hours of solitude. Instead he met bleak sorry and a penetrating loss. Gaara's feelings for his brother ran far deeper than any of them had known.

"Kankuro's dead."

"You don't know that." Neji slipped a hand under his cheek to shield his skin from the cold bark. "You can't take the word of a Suna genin."

"She wouldn't lie, Neji. Kane's and Kankuro's students did a lot of work together and several missions. They were nearly one team."

"She may have been lied to. It's not much of a stretch once you see the escort that came with them. It's more like an execution party the way they act around those kids."

"Are you saying they're in danger?" Anger replaced a little of the pain in Gaara's eyes.

"Decide for yourself. You'll be seeing them in a few days won't you?" Neji watched Gaara fall back into that quiet solitude he was so well known for.

Minutes passed before the red head turned his gaze to the horizon. "Who took the patrol?"

Neji turned his eyes to the sky's as well and watched the ripple of clouds float by at a fast clip. "Konohamaru and his group. Moegi got into some trouble for the stunt she pulled at the festival so she's trying to get back in the Hokage's good graces. The boys don't mind helping her out."

Gaara only nodded.

"Choji offered to let you bunk at his place for a few days if you want. His dad can do amazing things with an eggplant and salmon."

The corner of Gaara's lips tipped just a little.

"Though you may have to fight Hinata for a plate... and Choji."

A snort carried on the wind out over the village.

"Shikamaru offered to get you drunk again."

"NO!" Gaara's response nearly toppled both of them from the tree.

Neji looked down at a now red faced Gaara and laughed to hide his relief. The longer the afternoon had carried on the more he'd been sure Gaara had found a way to slip the gates and leave the village. Though he understood the reason he'd still been unwilling to accept it and he'd found himself feeling jealous of a man he'd not seen in years and barely knew at all. When he'd seen the flutter of fabric over Naruto's carved face he'd felt a sense of satisfaction he was nearly ashamed of. But then Lee, TenTen and Gai had spoiled him.

"That was not funny." Gaara grumbled from behind his crossed arms.

"Says you." He felt something grip his ankle but didn't have time to disburse it before Gaara yanked him down to the next tree limb with his sand. The branch groaned under their combined weight and both men started to get too their feet. There was a crack and a swift rush of air before they found themselves flat of their backs on the ground, hugging a broken limb.

"Uhm..." Neji blinked up at the now night sky.

"Yeah..." Gaara pushed himself to a sitting position and looked at the fallen branch.

Neji pulled himself up with a groan and looked at the branch as well. "Guess we were too much for it."

"I guess." Gaara's eyes left the tree and scanned the area.

Neji stood and brushed off as best he could. He reached down and lifted his pack then offered a hand to Gaara. When his teammate didn't respond but continued to look out into the darkness, Neji activated his byakugan and searched the area.

"What are we looking for?"

After a moments silence Gaara stood and settled his gourd back on his hip. "I was looking for Anko's little demons."

"Well they're not here. At least not that I can see or sense." Gaara gave him a withering look. "I double checked the blind spot. No genin is that fast. Not even a Hyuuga."

"As you say, but there are drawings of my naked ass all over this village that confirm just how good she is." The red head gritted out as he rolled his now bruised shoulders.

"It's not my fault you dropped the towel." Neji turned to the stairs and started down. "Besides, you're bare assets aren't the only ones on display around town."

"It's my only consolation." He followed suit, moving smoothly down the stone steps.

"You're a prude." Neji shot back and smiled when Gaara did nothing more than snort. "Hey, at least now the world has seen a softer side of you."

Gaara growled.

"Neji!" A familiar voice called from far bellow.

Gaara came to a stop behind him and Neji turned to watch those bright sea green eyes in an almost ethereal face as they shifted from irritation to trepidation. He understood the look. Death was painful. Pity was agonizing.

"Would you like to spar for a while? You've been up in that tree long enough to get stiff in this cold."

"Neji! Is he with you?" Gai's voice boomed up to them.

Gaara blinked. Neji watched his eyes shift toward him and hoped Gaara didn't look at his request as another form of pity.

"No thank you." Gaara stepped past him on his way down. "But you can treat me to Oden and a bottle of hot sake."

Neji grinned at his back and followed him down the steps.

0.0.0.0.0.0

Everything hurt. Even his pores hurt. Kankuro took in a very shallow breath and began to cough. The sudden jarring motion making every rib feel as though it were cracking.

"Easy. Easy."

Large, weather roughed hands touched the tender skin of his face. He hissed and coughed again not sure which pain was worse at the moment.

"I said, take it easy."

Something warm touched his chest and began to seep through the skin. The warmth spread out over his body and Kankuro lay there, feeling the least amount of pain he'd felt in months.

"I don't... know who you... are..." He swallowed. His voice was rough and didn't sound anything like him. "but could you do... that again?"

"Not even a please. That's gratitude for you." The voice that belonged to those hands was both tender and harsh, if that were possible. The contradiction was too much for Kankuro's muddled brain at the moment.

"Is he awake?" That voice he _did_ recognize.

Kankuro put every effort into opening his eyes and though he thought he was succeeding, he couldn't see anything but darkness.

"Am I blind?" He asked with only a small quaver in his voice.

The face that peered over him nearly made him choke again. He blinked as best he could with partially swollen eyelids and tried to focus on the mans face above him.

"You're dead."

Kouhei blinked and raised his brows. "I was about to say you're eyes are fine but if you think I'm dead then something is definitely wrong with you."

"Shut it, Kouhei." Yugao leaned over the puppeteer, her mask situated on the back of her head. "He's not Naruto. He's the medic. Can you see my face clearly, Kankuro-san?"

Both shinobi watched him squint his eyes in an attempt to see more clearly.

"Don't force it. You'll only give yourself a headache." Kouhei leaned in and touched purple marks on his face.

"Every thing's dark and blurry." Kankuro lifted his arm and groaned.

"Yeah, bad idea." Kouhei gently helped him replace the arm on the mat. "Try not to move too much. Your muscles are in bad shape and some of the broken bones have healed improperly."

Yugao watched as the young mans breath hitched and started to speed up, causing him to wheeze. She cut her eyes to Kouhei as the medic leaned his head down over Kankuro's chest. "Was that necessary?" She hissed.

"Thanks for... the con... concern," Kankuro groaned between breaths. "but I don't want... him... lieing to me."

Stay quiet." Kouhei hissed. "I hadn't planned on leaving anything out." He lifted his head and sat back. "I will say, most of the damage is reversible if we can get you back to the village. However, you have a sever infection in your lungs as well as some of your wounds. I can counteract some of this but not all. I need you to cooperate with me."

"You... said if?" Kankuro winced under the medics glare.

"I said be quiet. You're friend here will answer all none medical questions. I'm just here to poke and prod you." Several snickers could be heard from the outer edges of the branch stakes that walled them into a small thicket of trees.

Yugao rolled her eyes but inwardly smiled. "You asked for that."

"I don't get it." Kankuro whispered.

Yugao touched a spot on his arm that was relatively injury free. He turned his head just a little and cracked his eyes open. "Don't worry." She smiled. "You'll have plenty of time to hear all about it and get in a few jabs yourself."

"Sounds good." His eyes drifted shut and his breathing eased.

Yugao watched their charge relax into sleep then shifted her gaze to the man currently setting up scrolls and drawing out seals.

"You think they can fix everything?"

He looked up at her then turned back to his task. Light from the fire a few meters away cutting through very little of the starless night sky. "Maybe. I've seen Tsunade-sama work greater miracles but a lot of it depends on him."

"He's tough." She looked over Kankuro's still body and pulled up another blanket. "You won't have any problem getting him to fight."

"Yeah, well," he lifted a seal and placed it on Kankuro's forehead before preforming the hand seals to activate it, "fight is only going to get him so far. There's just no way to know what can be salvaged and what can't."

"So what's your personal opinion?" She asked with a hint of resignation in her voice.

"Personally?" He placed another seal over one side of Kankuro's chest. "I personally don't want to bring back a dead puppeteer."

"That afraid of his brother?" She smirked at him. A few more snorts and snickers came from the dark.

"Naruto and Hiro have taken a strong liking to Gaara-kun." He replied.

Suddenly, the night seemed much colder and a lot quieter.

0.0.0.0.0.0

**Sorry this has been a long time coming. The flu hit our house. In fact, I have it right now so I hope this all makes sense. Enjoy and feel free to let me know if this really sucked.**


	23. Family

**I'm back. I hope some of you are still around. Sorry for the seriously long delay. It will still be hard to update but I swear it won't be a year. Hope you enjoy this chapter. And for those who read the manga, this story is now not only fan fiction but suspension of disbelief. But hey, I don't own Naruto I can only curse the writer for going so far out of my plot line. **

"Take slow breaths. Not too deep."

Kankuro sucked in short breaths between coughs. The small coughing fit had hurt like hell and his ribs ached while his lungs burned.

"Relax as much as you can."

He was sitting up for the first time since his hands had been broken. He couldn't remember how long ago that had been. The medic, Kouhei Hirasi, had reluctantly allowed him to move more than the simple exercises he'd been doing. No small thanks to the constant badgering he'd subjected the blond to.

"Better?" That same blond hovered over him with a clinical eye and thinned lips.

"... yeah...," He took several more small breaths. "Yeah... I'm good."

"I knew this was a bad idea. Pigheaded pain in the ass."

Kankuro inwardly sneered. This guy had some nerve. For the last week he'd done nothing but insult, taunt and boss. Of course, it could have something to do with the guards constant jeering.

"Now,now, there's no need to be rude." the guard ducked and a kunai went sailing over his head.

It had been like this for several days. Kankuro could only guess they were getting closer to the Hidden Leaf Village. There was an underlying tension in all of the playful banter. Each little noise brought complete silence and a two man scout of the area.

"We... were... followed?" Speaking was still difficult.

"Stop talking." The medic gave him a tight lipped glare. "Yes and no. Someone's following us but they're not from Suna."

Kankuro gave him a sharper look. Who else would be following?

"Try lifting your leg again."

He did. Nothing happened. He'd not been able to move his legs since the last visit from Aya. He wasn't sure what the man had done but the results had been unnerving. When the medic touched the exposed skin of his thigh he felt the roughened tips of his fingers and the warmth of his skin. The pressure was bearable and he swallowed as he tried to move away from it.

"You feel that?" The medic watched his face closely.

"Yes."

"But you can't move it."

"No."

The medic looked thoughtful for a moment then removed his hand. Kankuro let out a small frustrated growl before taking in another series of small breaths to stave off the coughing it nearly caused.

"Alright. Time to move."

All too soon the puppeteer was on his back once again and being lifted on the gurney. The medic stayed close to his side, occasionally speaking or fielding taunts from the guards. He listened with half an ear and wandered how much longer they would be moving and if his brother was really alright.

"Hold!" Gaara yelled the word as he brushed the dust from his backside. Of course, neither of the genin listened. The chuunin exams had started six days before. As with the year he and his siblings had come, there were too many participants and a weeding process had been put in place. He was now looking at the last of the young ninja to make it through the process. He had to admit, they were definitely good if a little over zealous.

Gaara rolled his shoulders and stepped back into the fight which had now escalated into an all out brawl. The young Suna puppeteer, Ronin, and his current adversary, Wafa, were only two of the many genin to get into out and out grudge matches during this exam. He doubted many of them would pass. These two certainly wouldn't and for some reason he was disappointed about that.

"I said Hold!"

Sand pour from the now arm length gourd strapped to his hip and snaked its way between the two combatants. Gaara felt the hush as everyone watched, not to see if he'd kill them, but to see how each ninja reacted.

.0.0

Kakashi had nearly finished cursing the Hokage, the village of Konoha and any other idiot that had voted for Gaara's appearance at the end of the Chuunin exams when Midori, the young female puppeteer in Kane's group, swallowed loud enough for everyone to hear.

"He won't kill them."

Kakashi wasn't so sure about that and apparently the genin agreed. The look she sent her sensei held a world of disbelief and fear. Of course, that might have had a lot to do with her being next.

"That's how sand coffins start", was her shaky reply.

Kane only smiled at her.

Curious, Kakashi turned back to the three ninja in the center of the field. Gaara had indeed begun to build the foundation for the sand coffin up around the two genin but he was being far too slow with it to consider his actions lethal. No. This was a test. And at that moment, their little puppeteer wasn't doing so well.

"He's not fighting back." Matsuri murmured from her spot between Midori and Kane. "He's expected to hold but not to lie down and bare his belly. He should know that."

Kakashi nodded wordlessly as the sand shifted around Ronin's ankles and caked his sandals. While just on the other side of the redheaded proctor, Wafa, the young Hyuuga from Anko's team, watched the sand with narrowed eyes. Her movements were swift and precise as she dodged Gaara's simple attempts to restrain her.

"I wouldn't let him hold me down either." Kane murmured.

"You're not making me feel any better, sensei." Midori muttered then sucked in a breath when she realized the sand was now up to Ronin's knees.

And then the sand stopped. Swiftly it sifted back into the gourd at Gaara's hip as everyone above released a breath most didn't know they were holding. Ronin shook visibly as Gaara walked toward him only relaxing when Gaara stopped, spoke a few words to him, then sent him out of the ring. His shoulders hung in defeat as he trudged to the stairs. His teammates, Mine and Sorano, already charging to meet and possibly defend him from the jeers of their peers.

"Do those two have some sort of history?" Kane asked in a low whisper as he watched Gaara and the white-eyed leaf genin face off on the field.

Kakashi only shrugged but angled his good eye toward the other waiting guards. They'd paid little attention to his conversations with the sensei's since Gaara had appeared on the field, but there was no need to blow his cover now. Enough shit had fallen in his lap as it was.

.0.0

Tsubasa and Mayu ran to met their teammate as she stepped, stunned, from the field having just had a short conversation with the bane of their existence.

"What did he say?" Mayu placed a comforting hand on her friend and tried to read something in the strange expression on her face.

"He said…" The young Hyuuga couldn't seem to finish.

"He said?" Tsubasa walked around her other side and raised both eyebrows, clenching his fists in agitation.

Wafa inhaled deeply closing her eyes and shaking herself. A moment passed before her eyes opened and her teammates watched expectantly as she opened her mouth.

"He was… impressed..."

Both teammates eyes widened before the two let out a whoop of excitement and ushered their stunned friend into the seats.

Anko watched as her little chicks cheered what they hoped was a triumph for at least one of their rank, though Tsubasa still had his fight coming. She let a small smile creep to her lips. Sure they were young but she knew they'd been ready for this. And she hadn't been wrong. After all, any genin willing to stand up to a former foreign dignitary and psychotic killing machine had to be tough enough for the chuunin exams.

.0.0

Ino pulled the door to her bedroom closed and leaned against it for a moment. Eyes closed, she reached for the coffee mug she'd left on the book shelf in her haste to reach her husband. It was cold. Grimacing at the bitter taste she detached herself from the door and walked to the kitchen to dump the contents.

When two ANBU had dropped off a half conscious Fudo on their doorstep she'd been ready to kill anyone who wore a mask or had facial scars. She'd brought him in and accessed the damage, cursing Tsunade for not preparing her and her training for allowing her to see the damage beneath. He'd recover. Was recovering. But it was obvious they'd given him more than a thorough working over.

Watching the dark liquid run down the drain, she thought about the man in bed only a few feet away from her. She smiled when she remembered the look on his face as she tucked him into that bed and made him as comfortable as possible. He'd been smiling. His eyes alight with more than just the haze of pain. She'd seen happiness and contentment there. And as much as she wanted to scream at him for being an idiot and not cooperating, she understood what it meant for him to feel trusted and secure of his place in her world. And though it was stupid as far as she was concerned, he'd impressed his peers in the village. He'd not given up the little insignificant knowledge he had from his old village while still honoring the leaf and earned the respect of a good number of the black ops.

Stepping away from the sink Ino slipped into a chair at the small table and ran her fingers over one of the two rolled messages in front of her. One for her husband and one for her. Fudo would open his when he woke but... she fingered the seal on the message for her. The message from Tsunade. She hoped it was an apology but somehow doubted it. Most likely a summons, but for what?

"Well, no sense in waiting." She mumbled to herself and released the seal.

The parchment unrolled under her fingers and as she read her eyes widened and her throat constricted. Moments passed as she read and re-read the message then slowly, as if coming out of a dream, she lowered what she considered a surprisingly short message for the content to the table and let a small smile bloom even as the tears started to fall. Fudo was never going to believe this.

.0.0

"You stupid Bitch!"

Takako held her burning cheek as her grandfather glowered down over her. The carriage bounced once on the dirt road then smoothed to a rumble once again.

Her family had been informed of the situation and had rushed here in an attempt to salvage their investment. When informed of what had taken place her family had seemed appalled and distraught. When they'd been told the marriage contract had been breached they'd begun placating arguments. They'd argued she was traumatized. They'd argued she was young and foolish. They'd argued that had Uchiha-san simply made her the first wife she wouldn't have felt so insecure. They'd argued that this didn't constitute treason, since she didn't really know about the attack on the village.

Nothing worked.

She'd always known Sasuke would be a hard man to gain but she'd been sure of her skills as had her family. She'd been sure she could keep him happily oblivious while his wealth was slowly leached into her family coffers. When they'd found out the supposed second wife was now the first she'd been furious but still sure she could do her job. Then she'd seen him and money and power were no longer enough. She'd decided he'd be hers as well. And she was again sure she could accomplish the task. She now realized how impossible that task was.

"All of our work and you carelessly throw it to the winds and for WHAT!? Your job was simple. Spread your legs and play the good wife. Get into his good graces and his accounts."

Only she knew spreading your legs and being the good wife would never be enough for Sasuke Uchiha. It had taken her five weeks to find a way he could get it up long enough to get the job done. It had taken another three to find out why. The carriage slowed as they passed over another bump in the road.

"Now we've not only lost our position but we can't even barter with the children!"

She spared a thought for the children then pushed them from her mind. All the pain and discomfort she'd endured had not given her the affection and position she was sure they would. She'd been cheated. She didn't want the reminder. It was just as well. Sasuke had forbade them to see the twins and only allowed her to say good bye to Tadao with the Hokage's personal guard present. The boy hadn't even cried.

"I hope, for you sake, you have a good explanation for the council when we reach home. I doubt they will be lenient in your punishment."

She had to smile as the carriage slowed a little more. They would be passing the boarder soon. No longer in the Land of Fire. She would lean out of the window and take one last breath of air into her lungs before she died.

Her grandfather raised his brow and slapped her again. She simply turned to the window. Not long now. An hour, maybe two.

"Why is this carriage slowly? Incompetent fools. I should have brought our own guards."

_Don't worry, Grandfather, _she thought as she pulled back the curtains and look across the tree laden landscape. _In a few hours we won't have to worry about anything ever again. _She only wondered if she'd get to see her husband one last time. She was sure he'd be gloriously beautiful sprayed with her blood as he slit her throat.

.0.0

Shikamaru leaned against the stadium wall. He'd watched the clouds for several hours that morning but village had been unusually noisy and he'd given up on peace and quiet. Luckily he'd never needed either to sleep. So he leaned with his eyes closed and the sounds of fighting and cheering lulling him as the chuunin exams continued.

"They're taking a break and Tsunade's coming this way."

Shikamaru's eyes flew open to see Gaara standing in front of him. It wasn't the first time the red head had managed to sneak up on him but he had to admit he found it annoying.

"Why would I be worried about Tsunade coming?"

Gaara's lips tipped in an almost smile before he turned his head in the direction of the special seating.

"Shizune is dealing with an overload at the hospital. The paperwork is piling up. I'll let you fill in the rest."

It only took a moment for the laziest ninja in Fire country to sprint into the stands taking a shaking former Kazekage with him. They watched from a thick low support block as the Hokage and her guard walked by, her eagle eyes scanning the crowd for an unsuspecting victim.

"I'd say thank you but I'm sure you didn't do this for free." He turned to look at a man he never thought would be a friend and sighed. "What do you want?"

"Information." Gaara replied in hushed tones.

"Troublesome. What is it?"

Gaara glanced over his shoulder. Shikamaru followed his gaze to the man blatantly watching him.

"Later."

"Done."

They watched the man turn and say something to another younger guard. Moments later several sets of eyes were on them.

"Think they'll try and kill you before they leave?" Shikamaru asked half joking, half not.

Gaara shrugged, "Someone's always trying to kill me. They rarely ever succeed."

.0.0

Sasuke kissed Tadao's head and pulled the door closed as he left the room. Sunlight poured in shades of red and purple through the windows at the end of the long hall as he walked toward the shrine and a hopefully a moment of peace.

The hush of the door sliding open then closed sounded loud in the silence of the house. The Uchiha fan spread over the mats as he stepped across them to kneel in front of the alter. Closing his eyes he blocked out the sound of his own breathing and relaxed into the quiet and calm.

For one hour he sat in silence. Praying to his ancestors for guidance and blocking out the thought of what was happening in a carriage so many miles away. When the hour was over he lay a single flower on the alter before standing to leave the room.

He wandered idly if Itachi had felt this detached when he'd murdered their mother and father. Somehow he doubted it. But then, he'd loved them. Still he thought he could understand a little what his brother had felt that night. When he'd destroyed his world to protect a village of people he barely knew.

He touched the only family picture left on the wall. The only one that hadn't been destroyed or taken in his absence.

"Don't worry, brother. I don't have the capacity for mercy that you did. No one's going to hurt our family again."

.0.0

Taro looked up as the door opened and his eyes fixed on the dark haired woman who come to visit him so often over the past few days.

"Taro-kun. There is someone I'd like you to meet." Shizune stepped into the room.

The boy sifted his gaze to the blond walking in behind her. The woman was younger and very beautiful. Her hair hung in her face and when he noticed the weapons pouch on her hip, he wondered if that bit of hair ever got in the way. Then the woman smiled and spoke.

"Hello, Taro. May I call you Taro?"

He nodded and continued to watch as the blond walked farther into the room and the brunet closed the door.

"Taro-kun," Shizune stood close to the door. Her arms folded in front of her. "this is Ino Yamanaka. Do you remember our talk about her?"

He nodded again and watched the woman he'd been told so much about.

"Hi." he mumbled.

Ino's smile brightened. Shizune smiled as well.

"Yamanaka-san and her husband have agreed to have you stay with them until your mother returns."

Taro's eyes widened for a moment then dropped to the sheets of his single bed.

"What if my mom doesn't come back?"

The question was barely audible but Shizune and Ino shared a significant look. Ino's holding more hope and shame all at once. She looked back to the boy and lightly touch his arm. The skin was smooth and soft beneath her fingers and she savored the feeling a moment before she spoke.

"Then you can stay with us as long as you like."

The boy nodded and a soft sigh escaped his lips. "Thank you, Yamanaka-san."

"You're welcome. And you can call me Ino."

.0.0


End file.
